Mercurial > emacs
annotate man/faq.texi @ 34053:e6aa821abe60
(Fmd5): Doc fix.
author | Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org> |
---|---|
date | Thu, 30 Nov 2000 14:03:30 +0000 |
parents | b2cc8b3e837e |
children | 33df9c2e70bf |
rev | line source |
---|---|
27352 | 1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- -*- coding: latin-1 -*- |
25474 | 2 @c %**start of header |
27177
6b960a7c7ca7
Rename emacs-faq to efaq in @setfilename and in @direntry.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents:
27113
diff
changeset
|
3 @setfilename ../info/efaq |
25474 | 4 @settitle GNU Emacs FAQ |
5 @c %**end of header | |
6 | |
7 @setchapternewpage odd | |
8 | |
9 @c The @ifinfo stuff only appears in the Info version | |
10 @ifinfo | |
30009 | 11 @dircategory Emacs |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
12 @direntry |
27177
6b960a7c7ca7
Rename emacs-faq to efaq in @setfilename and in @direntry.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents:
27113
diff
changeset
|
13 * Emacs FAQ: (efaq). Frequently Asked Questions about Emacs. |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
14 @end direntry |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
15 |
28127 | 16 Copyright 1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999 Reuven M. Lerner@* |
17 Copyright 1992,1993 Steven Byrnes@* | |
18 Copyright 1990,1991,1992 Joseph Brian Wells@* | |
25474 | 19 |
20 This list of frequently asked questions about GNU Emacs with answers | |
21 ("FAQ") may be translated into other languages, transformed into other | |
22 formats (e.g. Texinfo, Info, WWW, WAIS), and updated with new information. | |
23 | |
24 The same conditions apply to any derivative of the FAQ as apply to the FAQ | |
25 itself. Every copy of the FAQ must include this notice or an approved | |
26 translation, information on who is currently maintaining the FAQ and how to | |
27 contact them (including their e-mail address), and information on where the | |
28 latest version of the FAQ is archived (including FTP information). | |
29 | |
30 The FAQ may be copied and redistributed under these conditions, except that | |
31 the FAQ may not be embedded in a larger literary work unless that work | |
32 itself allows free copying and redistribution. | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
33 |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
34 [This version has been somewhat edited from the last-posted version |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
35 (as of August 1999) for inclusion in the Emacs distribution.] |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
36 |
25474 | 37 @end ifinfo |
38 | |
39 @c The @titlepage stuff only appears in the printed version | |
40 @titlepage | |
41 @sp 10 | |
42 @center @titlefont{GNU Emacs FAQ} | |
43 | |
44 @c The following two commands start the copyright page. | |
45 @page | |
46 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll | |
28127 | 47 Copyright @copyright{} 1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999 Reuven M. Lerner@* |
48 Copyright @copyright{} 1992,1993 Steven Byrnes@* | |
49 Copyright @copyright{} 1990,1991,1992 Joseph Brian Wells@* | |
25474 | 50 |
51 This list of frequently asked questions about GNU Emacs with answers | |
52 ("FAQ") may be translated into other languages, transformed into other | |
53 formats (e.g. Texinfo, Info, WWW, WAIS), and updated with new information. | |
54 | |
55 The same conditions apply to any derivative of the FAQ as apply to the FAQ | |
56 itself. Every copy of the FAQ must include this notice or an approved | |
57 translation, information on who is currently maintaining the FAQ and how to | |
58 contact them (including their e-mail address), and information on where the | |
59 latest version of the FAQ is archived (including FTP information). | |
60 | |
61 The FAQ may be copied and redistributed under these conditions, except that | |
62 the FAQ may not be embedded in a larger literary work unless that work | |
63 itself allows free copying and redistribution. | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
64 |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
65 [This version has been somewhat edited from the last-posted version |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
66 (as of August 1999) for inclusion in the Emacs distribution.] |
25474 | 67 @end titlepage |
68 | |
69 @node Top, FAQ notation, (dir), (dir) | |
70 | |
71 This is the GNU Emacs FAQ, last updated on @today{}. | |
72 | |
73 The FAQ is slowly but surely being turned into a Texinfo document, | |
74 allowing us to create HTML, Info, and TeX documents from a single source | |
75 file. Please bear with us as we improve on this format. If you have | |
76 any suggestions or questions, please contact | |
77 @email{emacs-faq@@lerner.co.il, the FAQ maintainers}. | |
78 | |
79 @menu | |
80 * FAQ notation:: | |
81 * General questions:: | |
82 * Getting help:: | |
83 * Status of Emacs:: | |
84 * Common requests:: | |
85 * Bugs and problems:: | |
86 * Compiling and installing Emacs:: | |
87 * Finding Emacs and related packages:: | |
88 * Major packages and programs:: | |
89 * Key bindings:: | |
90 * Alternate character sets:: | |
91 * Mail and news:: | |
92 * Concept index:: | |
93 @end menu | |
94 | |
95 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
96 @node FAQ notation, General questions, Top, Top | |
97 @chapter FAQ notation | |
98 @cindex FAQ notation | |
99 | |
100 This section describes notation used in the GNU Emacs FAQ, as well as in | |
101 the Emacs documentation. Consult this section if this is the first time | |
102 you are reading the FAQ, or if you are confused by notation or terms | |
103 used in the FAQ. | |
104 | |
105 @menu | |
106 * Basic keys:: | |
107 * Extended commands:: | |
108 * On-line manual:: | |
109 * Filename conventions:: | |
110 * Common acronyms:: | |
111 @end menu | |
112 | |
113 @node Basic keys, Extended commands, FAQ notation, FAQ notation | |
114 @section What do these mean: @kbd{C-h}, @kbd{M-C-a}, @key{RET}, @kbd{@key{ESC} a}, etc.? | |
115 @cindex Basic keys | |
116 @cindex Control key, notation for | |
117 @cindex @key{Meta} key, notation for | |
118 @cindex Control-meta characters, notation for | |
119 @cindex @kbd{C-h}, definition of | |
120 @cindex @kbd{M-C-h}, definition of | |
121 @cindex @key{DEL}, definition of | |
122 @cindex @key{ESC}, definition of | |
123 @cindex @key{LFD}, definition of | |
124 @cindex @key{RET}, definition of | |
125 @cindex @key{SPC}, definition of | |
126 @cindex @key{TAB}, definition of | |
127 | |
128 @itemize @bullet | |
129 | |
130 @item | |
131 @kbd{C-x}: press the @key{x} key while holding down the @key{Control} key | |
132 | |
133 @item | |
134 @kbd{M-x}: press the @key{x} key while holding down the @key{Meta} key | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
135 (if your computer doesn't have a @key{Meta} key, see @pxref{No Meta key}) |
25474 | 136 |
137 @item | |
138 @kbd{M-C-x}: press the @key{x} key while holding down both @key{Control} | |
139 and @key{Meta} | |
140 | |
141 @item | |
142 @kbd{C-M-x}: a synonym for the above | |
143 | |
144 @item | |
145 @key{LFD}: Linefeed or Newline; same as @kbd{C-j} | |
146 | |
147 @item | |
148 @key{RET}: @key{Return}, sometimes marked @key{Enter}; same as @kbd{C-m} | |
149 | |
150 @item | |
151 @key{DEL}: @key{Delete}, usually not the same as @key{Backspace}; same | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
152 as @kbd{C-?} (@pxref{Backspace invokes help} if deleting invokes Emacs help) |
25474 | 153 |
154 @item | |
155 @key{ESC}: Escape; same as @kbd{C-[} | |
156 | |
157 @item | |
158 @key{TAB}: Tab; same as @kbd{C-i} | |
159 | |
160 @item | |
161 @key{SPC}: Space bar | |
162 | |
163 @end itemize | |
164 | |
165 Key sequences longer than one key (and some single-key sequences) are | |
166 inside double quotes or on lines by themselves. Any real spaces in such | |
167 a key sequence should be ignored; only @key{SPC} really means press the | |
168 space key. | |
169 | |
170 The ASCII code sent by @kbd{C-x} (except for @kbd{C-?}) is the value | |
171 that would be sent by pressing just @key{x} minus 96 (or 64 for | |
172 uppercase @key{X}) and will be from 0 to 31. The ASCII code sent by | |
173 @kbd{M-x} is the sum of 128 and the ASCII code that would be sent by | |
174 pressing just @key{x}. Essentially, @key{Control} turns off bits 5 and | |
175 6 and @key{Meta} turns on bit 7. | |
176 | |
177 @kbd{C-?} (aka @key{DEL}) is ASCII code 127. It is a misnomer to call | |
178 @kbd{C-?} a "control" key, since 127 has both bits 5 and 6 turned ON. | |
179 Also, on very few keyboards does @kbd{C-?} generate ASCII code 127. | |
180 | |
181 @inforef{Characters, Characters, emacs} and @inforef{Keys, Keys, emacs} | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
182 for more information. (@pxref{On-line manual} for more information about |
25474 | 183 Info.) |
184 | |
185 @node Extended commands, On-line manual, Basic keys, FAQ notation | |
186 @section What does @file{M-x @var{command}} mean? | |
187 @cindex Extended commands | |
188 @cindex Commands, extended | |
189 @cindex M-x, meaning of | |
190 | |
191 @kbd{M-x @var{command}} means type @kbd{M-x}, then type the name of the | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
192 command, then type @key{RET}. (@pxref{Basic keys} if you're not sure |
25474 | 193 what @kbd{M-x} and @key{RET} mean.) |
194 | |
195 @kbd{M-x} (by default) invokes the command | |
196 @code{execute-extended-command}. This command allows you to run any | |
197 Emacs command if you can remember the command's name. If you can't | |
198 remember the command's name, you can type @key{TAB} and @key{SPC} for | |
199 completion, @key{?} for a list of possibilities, and @kbd{M-p} and | |
200 @kbd{M-n} to see previous commands entered. An Emacs "command" is any | |
201 "interactive" Emacs function. | |
202 | |
203 Your system administrator may have bound other key sequences to invoke | |
204 @code{execute-extended-command}. A function key labeled @kbd{Do} is a | |
205 good candidate for this. | |
206 | |
207 To run non-interactive Emacs functions, @pxref{Evaluating Emacs Lisp code}. | |
208 | |
209 @node On-line manual, Filename conventions, Extended commands, FAQ notation | |
210 @section How do I read topic XXX in the on-line manual? | |
211 @cindex On-line manual, reading topics in | |
212 @cindex Reading topics in the on-line manual | |
213 @cindex Finding topics in the on-line manual | |
214 @cindex Info, finding topics in | |
215 | |
216 When we refer you to topic XXX in the on-line manual, you can read this | |
217 manual node inside Emacs (assuming nothing is broken) by typing @kbd{C-h | |
218 i m emacs @key{RET} m XXX @key{RET}}. | |
219 | |
220 This invokes Info, the GNU hypertext documentation browser. If you don't | |
221 already know how to use Info, type @key{?} from within Info. | |
222 | |
223 If we refer to topic XXX:YYY, type @kbd{C-h i m emacs @key{RET} m XXX | |
224 @key{RET} m YYY @key{RET}}. | |
225 | |
226 Your system administrator may not have installed the Info files, or may | |
227 have installed them improperly. In this case you should complain. | |
228 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
229 @xref{Getting a printed manual}, if you would like a paper copy of the |
25474 | 230 Emacs manual. |
231 | |
232 @node Filename conventions, Common acronyms, On-line manual, FAQ notation | |
233 @section What are @file{etc/SERVICE}, @file{src/config.h}, and @file{lisp/default.el}? | |
234 @cindex Filename conventions | |
235 @cindex Conventions for filenames | |
236 @cindex Directories and files that come with Emacs | |
237 | |
238 These are files that come with Emacs. The Emacs distribution is divided | |
239 into subdirectories; the important ones are @file{etc}, @file{lisp}, and | |
240 @file{src}. | |
241 | |
242 If you use Emacs, but don't know where it is kept on your system, start | |
243 Emacs, then type @kbd{C-h v data-directory @key{RET}}. The directory | |
244 name displayed by this will be the full pathname of the installed | |
245 @file{etc} directory. | |
246 | |
247 The location of your Info directory (i.e., where on-line documentation | |
248 is stored) is kept in the variable @code{Info-default-directory-list}. Use | |
249 @kbd{C-h v Info-default-directory-list @key{RET}} to see the contents of | |
250 this variable, which will be a list of directory names. The last | |
251 directory in that list is probably where most Info files are stored. By | |
252 default, Info documentation is placed in @file{/usr/local/info}. | |
253 | |
254 Some of these files are available individually via FTP or e-mail; | |
255 @pxref{Informational files for Emacs}. All are available in the source | |
256 distribution. Many of the files in the @file{etc} directory are also | |
257 available via the Emacs "help" menu, or by typing @kbd{C-h ?} (@kbd{M-x | |
258 help-for-help}). | |
259 | |
260 Your system administrator may have removed the @file{src} directory and | |
261 many files from the @file{etc} directory. | |
262 | |
263 @node Common acronyms, , Filename conventions, FAQ notation | |
264 @section What are FSF, LPF, OSF, GNU, RMS, FTP, and GPL? | |
265 @cindex FSF, definition of | |
266 @cindex LPF, definition of | |
267 @cindex OSF, definition of | |
268 @cindex GNU, definition of | |
269 @cindex RMS, definition of | |
270 @cindex Stallman, Richard, acronym for | |
271 @cindex Richard Stallman, acronym for | |
272 @cindex FTP, definition of | |
273 @cindex GPL, definition of | |
274 @cindex Acronyms, definitions for | |
275 @cindex Common acronyms, definitions for | |
276 | |
277 @table @asis | |
278 | |
279 @item FSF | |
280 Free Software Foundation | |
281 | |
282 @item LPF | |
283 League for Programming Freedom | |
284 | |
285 @item OSF | |
286 Open Software Foundation | |
287 | |
288 @item GNU | |
289 GNU's Not Unix | |
290 | |
291 @item RMS | |
292 Richard Matthew Stallman | |
293 | |
294 @item FTP | |
295 File Transfer Protocol | |
296 | |
297 @item GPL | |
298 GNU General Public License | |
299 | |
300 @end table | |
301 | |
302 Avoid confusing the FSF, the LPF, and the OSF. The LPF opposes | |
303 look-and-feel copyrights and software patents. The FSF aims to make | |
304 high quality free software available for everyone. The OSF is a | |
305 consortium of computer vendors which develops commercial software for | |
306 Unix systems. | |
307 | |
308 The word "free" in the title of the Free Software Foundation refers to | |
309 "freedom," not "zero dollars." Anyone can charge any price for | |
310 GPL-covered software that they want to. However, in practice, the | |
311 freedom enforced by the GPL leads to low prices, because you can always | |
312 get the software for less money from someone else, because everyone has | |
313 the right to resell or give away GPL-covered software. | |
314 | |
315 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
316 @node General questions, Getting help, FAQ notation, Top | |
317 @chapter General questions | |
318 @cindex General questions | |
319 | |
320 This section contains general questions having to do with Emacs, the | |
321 Free Software Foundation, and related organizations. | |
322 | |
323 @menu | |
324 * The LPF:: | |
325 * Real meaning of copyleft:: | |
326 * Guidelines for newsgroup postings:: | |
327 * Newsgroup archives:: | |
328 * Reporting bugs:: | |
329 * Unsubscribing from Emacs lists:: | |
330 * Contacting the FSF:: | |
331 @end menu | |
332 | |
333 @node The LPF, Real meaning of copyleft, General questions, General questions | |
334 @section What is the LPF? | |
335 @cindex LPF, description of | |
336 @cindex League for Programming Freedom | |
337 @cindex Software patents, opposition to | |
338 @cindex Patents for software, opposition to | |
339 | |
340 The LPF opposes the expanding danger of software patents and | |
341 look-and-feel copyrights. To get more information, feel free to contact | |
342 the LPF via e-mail or otherwise. You may also contact | |
343 @email{jbw@@cs.bu.edu, Joe Wells}; he will be happy to talk with you | |
344 about the LPF. | |
345 | |
346 You can find more information about the LPF in the file @file{etc/LPF}. | |
347 More papers describing the LPF's views are available on the Internet and | |
348 also from @uref{http://lpf.ai.mit.edu/, the LPF}. | |
349 | |
350 @node Real meaning of copyleft, Guidelines for newsgroup postings, The LPF, General questions | |
351 @section What is the real legal meaning of the GNU copyleft? | |
352 @cindex Copyleft, real meaning of | |
353 @cindex GPL, real meaning of | |
354 @cindex General Public License, real meaning of | |
355 @cindex Discussion of the GPL | |
356 | |
357 The real legal meaning of the GNU General Public License (copyleft) will | |
358 only be known if and when a judge rules on its validity and scope. | |
359 There has never been a copyright infringement case involving the GPL to | |
360 set any precedents. Please take any discussion regarding this issue to | |
361 the newsgroup @uref{news:gnu.misc.discuss}, which was created to hold the | |
362 extensive flame wars on the subject. | |
363 | |
364 RMS writes: | |
365 | |
366 @quotation | |
367 The legal meaning of the GNU copyleft is less important than the spirit, | |
368 which is that Emacs is a free software project and that work pertaining | |
369 to Emacs should also be free software. "Free" means that all users have | |
370 the freedom to study, share, change and improve Emacs. To make sure | |
371 everyone has this freedom, pass along source code when you distribute | |
372 any version of Emacs or a related program, and give the recipients the | |
373 same freedom that you enjoyed. | |
374 @end quotation | |
375 | |
376 @node Guidelines for newsgroup postings, Newsgroup archives, Real meaning of copyleft, General questions | |
377 @section What are appropriate messages for @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help}, @uref{news:gnu.emacs.bug}, @uref{news:comp.emacs}, etc.? | |
378 @cindex Newsgroups, appropriate messages for | |
379 @cindex GNU newsgroups, appropriate messages for | |
380 @cindex Usenet groups, appropriate messages for | |
381 @cindex Mailing lists, appropriate messages for | |
382 | |
383 The file @file{etc/MAILINGLISTS} discusses the purpose of each GNU | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
384 mailing-list. (@pxref{Informational files for Emacs} if you want a copy |
25474 | 385 of the file.) For those lists which are gatewayed with newsgroups, it |
386 lists both the newsgroup name and the mailing list address. | |
387 | |
388 @uref{news:comp.emacs} is for discussion of Emacs programs in general. | |
389 This includes Emacs along with various other implementations, such as | |
390 JOVE, MicroEmacs, Freemacs, MG, Unipress, CCA, and Epsilon. | |
391 | |
392 Many people post Emacs questions to @uref{news:comp.emacs} because they | |
393 don't receive any of the gnu.* newsgroups. Arguments have been made | |
394 both for and against posting GNU-Emacs-specific material to | |
395 @uref{news:comp.emacs}. You have to decide for yourself. | |
396 | |
397 Messages advocating "non-free" software are considered unacceptable on | |
398 any of the gnu.* newsgroups except for @uref{news:gnu.misc.discuss}, | |
399 which was created to hold the extensive flame-wars on the subject. | |
400 "Non-free" software includes any software for which the end user can't | |
401 freely modify the source code and exchange enhancements. Be careful to | |
402 remove the gnu.* groups from the "Newsgroups:" line when posting a | |
403 followup that recommends such software. | |
404 | |
405 @uref{news:gnu.emacs.bug} is a place where bug reports appear, but avoid | |
406 posting bug reports to this newsgroup (@pxref{Reporting bugs}). | |
407 | |
408 @node Newsgroup archives, Reporting bugs, Guidelines for newsgroup postings, General questions | |
409 @section Where can I get old postings to @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help} and other GNU groups? | |
410 @cindex Archived postings from @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help} | |
411 @cindex Usenet archives for GNU groups | |
412 @cindex Old Usenet postings for GNU groups | |
413 | |
414 The FSF has maintained archives of all of the GNU mailing lists for many | |
415 years, although there may be some unintentional gaps in coverage. The | |
416 archive is not particularly well organized or easy to retrieve | |
417 individual postings from, but pretty much everything is there. | |
418 | |
419 The archive is at @uref{ftp://ftp-mailing-list-archives.gnu.org}. | |
420 | |
421 As of this writing, the archives are not yet working. | |
422 | |
423 Web-based Usenet search services, such as | |
424 @uref{http://www.dejanews.com, DejaNews}, also archive the | |
425 gnu.* groups. | |
426 | |
427 @node Reporting bugs, Unsubscribing from Emacs lists, Newsgroup archives, General questions | |
428 @section Where should I report bugs and other problems with Emacs? | |
429 @cindex Bug reporting | |
430 @cindex Good bug reports | |
431 @cindex How to submit a bug report | |
432 @cindex Reporting bugs | |
433 | |
434 The correct way to report Emacs bugs is by e-mail to | |
435 @email{bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org}. Anything sent here also appears in the | |
436 newsgroup @uref{news:gnu.emacs.bug}, but please use e-mail instead of | |
437 news to submit the bug report. This ensures a reliable return address | |
438 so you can be contacted for further details. | |
439 | |
440 Be sure to read the "Bugs" section of the Emacs manual before reporting | |
441 a bug to bug-gnu-emacs! The manual describes in detail how to submit a | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
442 useful bug report. (@pxref{On-line manual} if you don't know how to read the |
25474 | 443 manual.) |
444 | |
445 RMS says: | |
446 | |
447 @quotation | |
448 Sending bug reports to @email{help-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} (which has the | |
449 effect of posting on @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help}) is undesirable because | |
450 it takes the time of an unnecessarily large group of people, most of | |
451 whom are just users and have no idea how to fix these problem. | |
452 @email{bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} reaches a much smaller group of people | |
453 who are more likely to know what to do and have expressed a wish to | |
454 receive more messages about Emacs than the others. | |
455 @end quotation | |
456 | |
457 RMS says it is sometimes fine to post to @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help}: | |
458 | |
459 @quotation | |
460 If you have reported a bug and you don't hear about a possible fix, | |
461 then after a suitable delay (such as a week) it is okay to post on | |
462 gnu.emacs.help asking if anyone can help you. | |
463 @end quotation | |
464 | |
465 If you are unsure whether you have found a bug, consider the following | |
466 non-exhaustive list, courtesy of RMS: | |
467 | |
468 @quotation | |
469 If Emacs crashes, that is a bug. If Emacs gets compilation errors | |
470 while building, that is a bug. If Emacs crashes while building, that | |
471 is a bug. If Lisp code does not do what the documentation says it | |
472 does, that is a bug. | |
473 @end quotation | |
474 | |
475 @node Unsubscribing from Emacs lists, Contacting the FSF, Reporting bugs, General questions | |
476 @section How do I unsubscribe from this mailing list? | |
477 @cindex Unsubscribing from GNU mailing lists | |
478 @cindex Removing yourself from GNU mailing lists | |
479 | |
480 If you are receiving a GNU mailing list named "XXX", you might be able | |
481 to unsubscribe from it by sending a request to the address | |
482 @email{XXX-request@@gnu.org}. However, this will not work if you are | |
483 not listed on the main mailing list, but instead receive the mail from a | |
484 distribution point. In that case, you will have to track down at which | |
485 distribution point you are listed. Inspecting the @samp{Received} headers | |
486 on the mail messages may help, along with liberal use of the "EXPN" or | |
487 "VRFY" sendmail commands through "telnet <site-address> smtp". Ask your | |
488 postmaster for help. | |
489 | |
490 @node Contacting the FSF, , Unsubscribing from Emacs lists, General questions | |
491 @section What is the current address of the FSF? | |
492 @cindex Snail mail address of the FSF | |
493 @cindex Postal address of the FSF | |
494 @cindex Contracting the FSF | |
495 @cindex Free Software Foundation, contacting | |
496 | |
497 @table @asis | |
498 | |
499 @item E-mail | |
500 gnu@@gnu.org | |
501 | |
502 @item Telephone | |
503 +1-617-542-5942 | |
504 | |
505 @item Fax | |
506 +1-617-542-2652 | |
507 | |
508 @item World Wide Web | |
509 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/} | |
510 | |
511 @item Postal address | |
512 Free Software Foundation@* | |
513 59 Temple Place - Suite 330@* | |
514 Boston, MA 02111-1307@* | |
515 USA@* | |
516 | |
517 @end table | |
518 | |
519 For details on how to order items directly from the FSF, see the file | |
520 @file{etc/ORDERS}. | |
521 | |
522 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
523 @node Getting help, Status of Emacs, General questions, Top | |
524 @chapter Getting help | |
525 @cindex Getting help | |
526 | |
527 This section tells you how to get help with Emacs | |
528 | |
529 @menu | |
530 * Basic editing:: | |
531 * Learning how to do something:: | |
532 * Getting a printed manual:: | |
533 * Emacs Lisp documentation:: | |
534 * Installing Texinfo documentation:: | |
535 * Printing a Texinfo file:: | |
536 * Viewing Info files outside of Emacs:: | |
537 * Informational files for Emacs:: | |
538 * Help installing Emacs:: | |
539 * Obtaining the FAQ:: | |
540 @end menu | |
541 | |
542 @node Basic editing, Learning how to do something, Getting help, Getting help | |
543 @section I'm just starting Emacs; how do I do basic editing? | |
544 @cindex Basic editing with Emacs | |
545 @cindex Beginning editing | |
546 @cindex Tutorial, invoking the | |
547 @cindex Self-paced tutorial, invoking the | |
548 @cindex Help system, entering the | |
549 | |
550 Type @kbd{C-h t} to invoke the self-paced tutorial. Just typing @kbd{C-h} | |
551 enters the help system. | |
552 | |
553 Your system administrator may have changed @kbd{C-h} to act like | |
554 @key{DEL} to deal with local keyboards. You can use @kbd{M-x | |
555 help-for-help} instead to invoke help. To discover what key (if any) | |
556 invokes help on your system, type @kbd{M-x where-is @key{RET} | |
557 help-for-help @key{RET}}. This will print a comma-separated list of key | |
558 sequences in the echo area. Ignore the last character in each key | |
559 sequence listed. Each of the resulting key sequences invokes help. | |
560 | |
561 Emacs help works best if it is invoked by a single key whose value | |
562 should be stored in the variable @code{help-char}. | |
563 | |
564 There is also a WWW-based tutorial for Emacs 18, much of which is also | |
565 relevant for Emacs 20, available at | |
566 | |
567 @uref{http://kufacts.cc.ukans.edu/cwis/writeups/misc/emacsguide.html} | |
568 | |
569 @node Learning how to do something, Getting a printed manual, Basic editing, Getting help | |
570 @section How do I find out how to do something in Emacs? | |
571 @cindex Help for Emacs | |
572 @cindex Learning to do something in Emacs | |
573 @cindex Reference card for Emacs | |
574 @cindex Overview of help systems | |
575 | |
576 There are several methods for finding out how to do things in Emacs. | |
577 | |
578 @itemize @bullet | |
579 | |
580 @item | |
581 The complete text of the Emacs manual is available on-line via the Info | |
582 hypertext reader. Type @kbd{C-h i} to invoke Info. Typing @key{h} | |
583 immediately after entering Info will provide a short tutorial on how to | |
584 use it. | |
585 | |
586 @item | |
587 You can order a hardcopy of the manual from the FSF. @xref{Getting a | |
588 printed manual}. | |
589 | |
590 @item | |
591 You can get a printed reference card listing commands and keys to | |
592 invoke them. You can order one from the FSF for $1 (or 10 for $5), | |
593 or you can print your own from the @file{etc/refcard.tex} or | |
594 @file{etc/refcard.ps} files in the Emacs distribution. | |
595 | |
596 @item | |
597 You can list all of the commands whose names contain a certain word | |
598 (actually which match a regular expression) using @kbd{C-h a} (@kbd{M-x | |
599 command-apropos}). | |
600 | |
601 @item | |
602 You can list all of the functions and variables whose names contain a | |
603 certain word using @kbd{M-x apropos}. | |
604 | |
605 @item | |
606 There are many other commands in Emacs for getting help and | |
607 information. To get a list of these commands, type @samp{?} after | |
608 @kbd{C-h}. | |
609 | |
610 @end itemize | |
611 | |
612 @node Getting a printed manual, Emacs Lisp documentation, Learning how to do something, Getting help | |
613 @section How do I get a printed copy of the Emacs manual? | |
614 @cindex Printed Emacs manual, obtaining | |
615 @cindex Manual, obtaining a printed copy of | |
616 @cindex Emacs manual, obtaining a printed copy of | |
617 | |
618 You can order a printed copy of the Emacs manual from the FSF. For | |
619 details see the file @file{etc/ORDERS}. | |
620 | |
621 The full @TeX{} source for the manual also comes in the @file{man} | |
622 directory of the Emacs distribution, if you're daring enough to try to | |
623 print out this 440-page manual yourself (@pxref{Printing a Texinfo | |
624 file}). | |
625 | |
626 If you absolutely have to print your own copy, and you don't have @TeX{}, | |
627 you can get a PostScript version from | |
628 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
629 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/manual/emacs/ps/emacs.ps.gz} |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
630 |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
631 A WWW version of the manual is at |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
632 |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
633 @uref{www.gnu.org/manual/emacs/index.html} |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
634 |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
635 @xref{Learning how to do something}, for how to view the manual on-line. |
25474 | 636 |
637 @node Emacs Lisp documentation, Installing Texinfo documentation, Getting a printed manual, Getting help | |
638 @section Where can I get documentation on Emacs Lisp? | |
639 @cindex Documentation on Emacs Lisp | |
640 @cindex Function documentation | |
641 @cindex Variable documentation | |
642 @cindex Emacs Lisp Reference Manual | |
643 @cindex Reference manual for Emacs Lisp | |
644 | |
645 Within Emacs, you can type @kbd{C-h f} to get the documentation for a | |
646 function, @kbd{C-h v} for a variable. | |
647 | |
648 For more information, obtain the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. Details on | |
649 ordering it from FSF are in file @file{etc/ORDERS}. | |
650 | |
651 The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual is also available on-line, in Info | |
652 format. Texinfo source for the manual (along with pregenerated Info | |
653 files) is available at | |
654 | |
655 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/emacs/elisp-manual-20-2.5.tar.gz} | |
656 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
657 and all mirrors of @samp{ftp.gnu.org} (@pxref{Current GNU distributions} for a |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
658 list). @xref{Installing Texinfo documentation}, if you want to install |
25474 | 659 the Info files, or @ref{Printing a Texinfo file} if you want to use the |
660 Texinfo source to print the manual yourself. | |
661 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
662 A WWW version of the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual is available at |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
663 |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
664 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/manual/elisp-manual-20-2.5/elisp.html} |
25474 | 665 |
666 @node Installing Texinfo documentation, Printing a Texinfo file, Emacs Lisp documentation, Getting help | |
667 @section How do I install a piece of Texinfo documentation? | |
668 @cindex Texinfo documentation, installing | |
669 @cindex Installing Texinfo documentation | |
670 @cindex New Texinfo files, installing | |
671 @cindex Documentation, installing new Texinfo files | |
672 | |
673 First, you must turn the Texinfo files into Info files. You may do this | |
674 using the stand-alone @file{makeinfo} program, available as part of the latest | |
675 Texinfo package at | |
676 | |
677 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/texinfo/texinfo-3.12.tar.gz} | |
678 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
679 and all mirrors of @samp{ftp.gnu.org} (@pxref{Current GNU distributions} for a list). |
25474 | 680 |
681 For information about the Texinfo format, read the Texinfo manual which | |
682 comes with Emacs. This manual also comes installed in Info format, so | |
683 you can read it on-line. | |
684 | |
685 Neither @code{texinfo-format-buffer} nor @file{makeinfo} installs the | |
686 resulting Info files in Emacs's Info tree. To install Info files: | |
687 | |
688 @enumerate | |
689 | |
690 @item Move the files to the @file{info} directory in the installed Emacs | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
691 distribution. @xref{Filename conventions}, if you don't know where that is. |
25474 | 692 |
693 @item Edit the file @file{info/dir} in the installed Emacs distribution, | |
694 and add a line for the top level node in the Info package that you are | |
695 installing. Follow the examples already in this file. The format is: | |
696 | |
697 @example | |
698 * Topic: (relative-pathname). Short description of topic. | |
699 @end example | |
700 | |
701 @end enumerate | |
702 | |
703 If you want to install Info files and you don't have the necessary | |
704 privileges, you have several options: | |
705 | |
706 @itemize @bullet | |
707 | |
708 @item | |
709 Info files don't actually need to be installed before being used. You | |
710 can feed a file name to the @code{Info-goto-node} command (invoked by | |
711 pressing @key{g} in Info mode) by typing the name of the file in | |
712 parentheses. This goes to the node named "Top" in that file. For | |
713 example, to view a Info file named "XXX" in your home directory, you can | |
714 type this: | |
715 | |
716 @lisp | |
717 C-h i g (~/XXX) @key{RET} | |
718 @end lisp | |
719 | |
720 @item | |
721 You can create your own Info directory. You can tell Emacs where the | |
722 Info directory is by adding its pathname to the value of the variable | |
723 @code{Info-default-directory-list}. For example, to use a private Info | |
724 directory which is a subdirectory of your home directory named "Info", | |
725 you could put this in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
726 | |
727 @lisp | |
728 (setq Info-default-directory-list | |
729 (cons "~/Info" Info-default-directory-list)) | |
730 @end lisp | |
731 | |
732 You will need a top-level Info file named @file{dir} in this directory | |
733 which has everything the system dir file has in it, except it should | |
734 list only entries for Info files in that directory. You might not need | |
735 it if all files in this directory were referenced by other @file{dir} | |
736 files. The node lists from all @file{dir} files in | |
737 @code{Info-default-directory-list} are merged by the Info system. | |
738 | |
739 @end itemize | |
740 | |
741 @node Printing a Texinfo file, Viewing Info files outside of Emacs, Installing Texinfo documentation, Getting help | |
742 @section How do I print a Texinfo file? | |
743 @cindex Printing a Texinfo file | |
744 @cindex Texinfo file, printing | |
745 | |
746 You can't get nicely printed output from Info files; you must still have | |
747 the original Texinfo source file for the manual you want to print. | |
748 | |
749 Assuming you have @TeX{} installed on your system, follow these steps: | |
750 | |
751 @enumerate | |
752 | |
753 @item Make sure the first line of the Texinfo file looks like this: | |
754 | |
755 @example | |
756 \input texinfo | |
757 @end example | |
758 | |
759 You may need to change @samp{texinfo} to the full pathname of the | |
760 texinfo.tex file, which comes with Emacs as @samp{man/texinfo.tex} (or | |
761 copy or link it into the current directory). | |
762 | |
763 @item @code{tex XXX.texinfo} | |
764 | |
765 @item @code{texindex XXX.??} | |
766 | |
767 The @samp{texindex} program comes with Emacs as @file{man/texindex.c}. | |
768 | |
769 @item @code{tex XXX.texinfo} | |
770 | |
771 @item Print the DVI file @file{XXX.dvi} in the normal way for printing DVI files at your site. | |
772 | |
773 @end enumerate | |
774 | |
775 To get more general instructions, retrieve the latest Texinfo package | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
776 (@pxref{Installing Texinfo documentation}). |
25474 | 777 |
778 @node Viewing Info files outside of Emacs, Informational files for Emacs, Printing a Texinfo file, Getting help | |
779 @section Can I view Info files without using Emacs? | |
780 @cindex Viewing Info files | |
781 @cindex Info file viewers | |
782 @cindex Alternative Info file viewers | |
783 | |
784 Yes. Here are some alternative programs: | |
785 | |
786 @itemize @bullet | |
787 | |
788 @item Info, a stand-alone version of the Info program, comes as part of the | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
789 Texinfo package. @xref{Installing Texinfo documentation}, for details. |
25474 | 790 |
791 @item Xinfo, a stand-alone version of the Info program that runs under X | |
792 Windows. You can get it at | |
793 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/xinfo/xinfo-1.01.01.tar.gz} and all | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
794 mirrors of @samp{ftp.gnu.org} (@pxref{Current GNU distributions} for a list). |
25474 | 795 |
796 @item Tkinfo, an Info viewer that runs under X Windows and uses Tcl/Tk. You | |
797 can get Tkinfo at @uref{http://math-www.uni-paderborn.de/~axel/tkinfo/}. | |
798 | |
799 @end itemize | |
800 | |
801 @node Informational files for Emacs, Help installing Emacs, Viewing Info files outside of Emacs, Getting help | |
802 @section What informational files are available for Emacs? | |
803 @cindex Informational files included with Emacs | |
804 @cindex Files included with Emacs | |
805 @cindex @file{COPYING}, description of file | |
806 @cindex @file{DISTRIB}, description of file | |
807 @cindex @file{FAQ}, description of file | |
808 @cindex @file{FTP}, description of file | |
809 @cindex @file{GNU}, description of file | |
810 @cindex @file{INTERVIEW}, description of file | |
811 @cindex @file{LPF}, description of file | |
812 @cindex @file{MACHINES}, description of file | |
813 @cindex @file{MAILINGLISTS}, description of file | |
814 @cindex @file{NEWS}, description of file | |
815 @cindex @file{SERVICE}, description of file | |
816 @cindex @file{SUN-SUPPORT}, description of file | |
817 | |
818 This isn't a frequently asked question, but it should be! A variety of | |
819 informational files about Emacs and relevant aspects of the GNU project | |
820 are available for you to read. | |
821 | |
822 The following files are available in the @file{etc} directory of the | |
823 Emacs distribution (@pxref{Filename conventions} if you're not sure where that is). | |
824 | |
825 @table @file | |
826 | |
827 @item COPYING | |
828 Emacs General Public License | |
829 | |
830 @item DISTRIB | |
831 Emacs Availability Information, including the popular "Free Software | |
832 Foundation Order Form" | |
833 | |
834 @item FAQ | |
835 Emacs Frequently Asked Questions (You're reading it) | |
836 | |
837 @item FTP | |
838 How to get GNU Software by Internet FTP or by UUCP | |
839 | |
840 @item GNU | |
841 The GNU Manifesto | |
842 | |
843 @item INTERVIEW | |
844 Richard Stallman discusses his public-domain UNIX-compatible software | |
845 system with BYTE editors | |
846 | |
847 @item LPF | |
848 Why you should join the League for Programming Freedom | |
849 | |
850 @item MACHINES | |
851 Status of Emacs on Various Machines and Systems | |
852 | |
853 @item MAILINGLISTS | |
854 GNU Project Electronic Mailing Lists | |
855 | |
856 @item NEWS | |
857 Emacs news, a history of user-visible changes | |
858 | |
859 @item SERVICE | |
860 GNU Service Directory | |
861 | |
862 @item SUN-SUPPORT | |
863 including "Using Emacstool with GNU Emacs" | |
864 | |
865 @end table | |
866 | |
867 Latest versions of the above files also available at | |
868 | |
869 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/GNUinfo/} | |
870 | |
871 More GNU information, including back issues of the "GNU's Bulletin", are | |
872 at | |
873 | |
874 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/bulletins/bulletins.html} and | |
875 | |
876 @uref{http://www.cs.pdx.edu/~trent/gnu/gnu.html} | |
877 | |
878 @node Help installing Emacs, Obtaining the FAQ, Informational files for Emacs, Getting help | |
879 @section Where can I get help in installing Emacs? | |
880 @cindex Installation help | |
881 @cindex Help installing Emacs | |
882 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
883 @xref{Installing Emacs}, for some basic installation hints, and question |
25474 | 884 83 if you have problems with the installation. |
885 | |
886 The file @file{etc/SERVICE} (@pxref{Filename conventions} if you're not | |
887 sure where that is) lists companies and individuals willing to sell you | |
888 help in installing or using Emacs. An up-to-date version this file is | |
889 available on @samp{ftp.gnu.org} (@pxref{Informational files for Emacs}). | |
890 | |
891 @node Obtaining the FAQ, , Help installing Emacs, Getting help | |
892 @section Where can I get the latest version of this FAQ? | |
893 @cindex FAQ, obtaining the | |
894 @cindex Latest FAQ version, obtaining the | |
895 @cindex Retrieving the latest FAQ version | |
896 @cindex E-mail, retrieving the FAQ via | |
897 @cindex Web, reading the FAQ on the | |
898 | |
899 The Emacs FAQ is available in several ways: | |
900 | |
901 @itemize @bullet | |
902 | |
903 @item | |
904 Inside of Emacs itself. You can get it from selecting the "Emacs FAQ" | |
905 option from the "Help" menu at the top of any Emacs frame, or by typing | |
906 @kbd{C-h F} (@kbd{M-x view-emacs-FAQ}). | |
907 | |
908 @item | |
909 Via USENET. If you can read news, the FAQ should be available in your | |
910 news spool, in both the @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help} and | |
911 @uref{news:comp.emacs} newsgroups. Every news reader should allow you | |
912 to read any news article that is still in the news spool, even if you | |
913 have read the article before. You may need to read the instructions for | |
914 your news reader to discover how to do this. In @file{rn}, this command | |
915 will do this for you at the article selection level: | |
916 | |
917 @example | |
918 ?GNU Emacs Frequently Asked Questions?rc:m | |
919 @end example | |
920 | |
921 In Gnus, you should type @kbd{C-u C-x C-s} from the @file{*Summary*} | |
922 buffer or @kbd{C-u @key{SPC}} from the @file{*Newsgroup*} buffer to view | |
923 all articles in a newsgroup. | |
924 | |
925 If the FAQ articles have expired and been deleted from your news spool, | |
926 it might (or might not) do some good to complain to your news | |
927 administrator, because the most recent FAQ should not expire for a | |
928 while. | |
929 | |
930 @item Via HTTP or FTP. You can always fetch the latest FAQ from | |
931 | |
932 @uref{http://www.lerner.co.il/emacs/} and | |
933 | |
934 @uref{ftp://ftp.lerner.co.il/pub/emacs/} | |
935 | |
936 @item | |
937 In the Emacs distribution. Since Emacs 18.56, the FAQ at the time | |
938 of release has been part of the Emacs distribution as @file{etc/FAQ} | |
939 (@pxref{Filename conventions}). | |
940 | |
941 @item | |
942 Via the World Wide Web. A hypertext version is available at | |
943 | |
944 @uref{http://www.lerner.co.il/emacs/} | |
945 | |
946 @item | |
947 Via anonymous ftp and e-mail from @file{rtfm.mit.edu} (and its mirror in | |
948 Europe), the main repository for FAQs and other items posted to | |
949 news.answers. The Emacs FAQs are available at | |
950 | |
951 @uref{ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/comp.emacs/} and | |
952 | |
953 @uref{ftp://ftp.uni-paderborn.de/pub/doc/FAQ/comp/emacs/} | |
954 | |
955 If you do not have access to anonymous FTP, you can access the archives | |
956 using the @file{rtfm.mit.edu} mail server. The Emacs FAQ can be | |
957 retrieved by sending mail to @email{mail-server@@rtfm.mit.edu} with a | |
958 blank subject and containing | |
959 | |
960 @example | |
961 send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/diffs | |
962 send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part1 | |
963 send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part2 | |
964 send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part3 | |
965 send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part4 | |
966 send usenet/news.answers/GNU-Emacs-FAQ/part5 | |
967 @end example | |
968 | |
969 For more information, send email to @email{mail-server@@rtfm.mit.edu} | |
970 with "help" and "index" in the body on separate lines. | |
971 | |
972 @item | |
973 As the very last resort, you can e-mail a request to | |
974 @email{emacs-faq@@lerner.co.il}. Don't do this unless you have made a | |
975 serious effort to obtain the FAQ list via one of the methods listed | |
976 above. | |
977 | |
978 @end itemize | |
979 | |
980 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
981 @node Status of Emacs, Common requests, Getting help, Top | |
982 @chapter Status of Emacs | |
983 @cindex Status of Emacs | |
984 | |
985 This section gives you basic information about Emacs, including its | |
986 latest version status. | |
987 | |
988 @menu | |
989 * Origin of the term Emacs:: | |
990 * Latest version of Emacs:: | |
991 * New in Emacs 20:: | |
992 @end menu | |
993 | |
994 @node Origin of the term Emacs, Latest version of Emacs, Status of Emacs, Status of Emacs | |
995 @section Where does the name "Emacs" come from? | |
996 @cindex Origin of the term "Emacs" | |
997 @cindex Emacs name origin | |
998 @cindex TECO | |
999 @cindex Original version of Emacs | |
1000 | |
1001 Emacs originally was an acronym for Editor MACroS. RMS says he "picked | |
1002 the name Emacs because @key{E} was not in use as an abbreviation on ITS at | |
1003 the time." The first Emacs was a set of macros written in 1976 at MIT | |
1004 by RMS for the editor TECO (Text Editor and COrrector, originally Tape | |
1005 Editor and COrrector) under ITS on a PDP-10. RMS had already extended | |
1006 TECO with a "real-time" full screen mode with reprogrammable keys. | |
1007 Emacs was started by @email{gls@@east.sun.com, Guy Steele} as a project | |
1008 to unify the many divergent TECO command sets and key bindings at MIT, | |
1009 and completed by RMS. | |
1010 | |
1011 Many people have said that TECO code looks a lot like line noise; you | |
1012 can read more at @uref{news:alt.lang.teco}. Someone has written a TECO | |
1013 implementation in Emacs Lisp (to find it, @ref{Packages that do not come | |
1014 with Emacs}); it would be an interesting project to run the original | |
1015 TECO Emacs inside of Emacs. | |
1016 | |
1017 For some not-so-serious alternative reasons for Emacs to have that | |
1018 name, check out @file{etc/JOKES} (@pxref{Filename conventions}). | |
1019 | |
1020 @node Latest version of Emacs, New in Emacs 20, Origin of the term Emacs, Status of Emacs | |
1021 @section What is the latest version of Emacs? | |
1022 @cindex Version, latest | |
1023 @cindex Latest version | |
1024 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
1025 Emacs 20.5 is the current version as of this writing. |
25474 | 1026 |
1027 @node New in Emacs 20, , Latest version of Emacs, Status of Emacs | |
1028 @section What is different about Emacs 20? | |
1029 @cindex Differences between Emacs 19 and Emacs 20 | |
1030 @cindex Emacs 20, new features in | |
1031 @cindex Recently introduced features | |
1032 | |
1033 To find out what has changed in recent versions, type @kbd{C-h n} | |
1034 (@kbd{M-x view-emacs-news}). The oldest changes are at the bottom of | |
1035 the file, so you might want to read it starting there, rather than at | |
1036 the top. | |
1037 | |
1038 The differences between Emacs versions 18 and 19 was rather dramatic; | |
1039 the introduction of frames, faces, and colors on windowing systems was | |
1040 obvious to even the most casual user. | |
1041 | |
1042 There are differences between Emacs versions 19 and 20 as well, but many | |
1043 are more subtle or harder to find. Among the changes are the inclusion | |
1044 of MULE code for languages that use non-Latin characters, the "customize" | |
1045 facility for modifying variables without having to use Lisp, and | |
1046 automatic conversion of files from Macintosh, Microsoft, and Unix | |
1047 platforms. | |
1048 | |
1049 A number of older Lisp packages, such as Gnus, Supercite and the | |
1050 calendar/diary, have been updated and enhanced to work with Emacs 20, | |
1051 and are now included with the standard distribution. | |
1052 | |
1053 | |
1054 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
1055 @node Common requests, Bugs and problems, Status of Emacs, Top | |
1056 @chapter Common requests | |
1057 @cindex Common requests | |
1058 | |
1059 @menu | |
1060 * Setting up a customization file:: | |
1061 * Debugging a customization file:: | |
1062 * Displaying the current line or column:: | |
1063 * Displaying the current filename in the titlebar:: | |
1064 * Turning on abbrevs by default:: | |
1065 * Turning on auto-fill by default:: | |
1066 * Associating modes with files:: | |
1067 * Working with unprintable characters:: | |
1068 * Highlighting a region:: | |
1069 * Controlling case sensitivity:: | |
1070 * Wrapping words automatically:: | |
1071 * Spell-checkers:: | |
1072 * Checking TeX and *roff documents:: | |
1073 * Changing load-path:: | |
1074 * Using an already running Emacs process:: | |
1075 * Compiler error messages:: | |
1076 * Indenting switch statements:: | |
1077 * Horizontal scrolling:: | |
1078 * Overwrite mode:: | |
1079 * Turning off beeping:: | |
1080 * Turning the volume down:: | |
1081 * Automatic indentation:: | |
1082 * Matching parentheses:: | |
1083 * Hiding #ifdef lines:: | |
1084 * Repeating commands:: | |
1085 * Valid X resources:: | |
1086 * Evaluating Emacs Lisp code:: | |
1087 * Changing the length of a Tab:: | |
1088 * Inserting > at the beginning of each line:: | |
1089 * Underlining paragraphs:: | |
1090 * Repeating a command as many times as possible:: | |
1091 * Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column:: | |
1092 * Forcing Emacs to iconify itself:: | |
1093 * Using regular expressions:: | |
1094 * Replacing text across multiple files:: | |
1095 * Documentation for etags:: | |
1096 * Disabling backups:: | |
1097 * Disabling auto-save-mode:: | |
1098 * Modifying pull-down menus:: | |
1099 * Deleting menus and menu options:: | |
1100 * Turning on syntax highlighting:: | |
1101 * Scrolling only one line:: | |
1102 * Replacing highlighted text:: | |
1103 * Editing MS-DOS files:: | |
1104 * Filling paragraphs with a single space:: | |
1105 @end menu | |
1106 | |
1107 @node Setting up a customization file, Debugging a customization file, Common requests, Common requests | |
1108 @section How do I set up a @file{.emacs} file properly? | |
1109 @cindex @file{.emacs} file, setting up | |
1110 @cindex Init file, setting up | |
1111 @cindex Customization file, setting up | |
1112 | |
1113 @inforef{Init File, Init File, emacs} | |
1114 | |
1115 In general, new Emacs users should not have @file{.emacs} files, because | |
1116 it causes confusing non-standard behavior. Then they send questions to | |
1117 @email{help-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} asking why Emacs isn't behaving as | |
1118 documented. | |
1119 | |
1120 Emacs 20 includes the new @code{customize} facility, which can be | |
1121 invoked using @kbd{M-x customize @key{RET}}. This allows users who are | |
1122 unfamiliar with Emacs Lisp to modify their @file{.emacs} files in a | |
1123 relatively straightforward way, using menus rather than Lisp code. Not | |
1124 all packages support Customize as of this writing, but the number is | |
1125 growing fairly steadily. | |
1126 | |
1127 While @code{customize} might indeed make it easier to configure Emacs, | |
1128 consider taking a bit of time to learn Emacs Lisp and modifying your | |
1129 @file{.emacs} directly. Simple configuration options are described | |
1130 rather completely in @inforef{Init File, Init File, emacs}, for users | |
1131 interested in performing frequently requested, basic tasks. | |
1132 | |
1133 @node Debugging a customization file, Displaying the current line or column, Setting up a customization file, Common requests | |
1134 @section How do I debug a @file{.emacs} file? | |
1135 @cindex Debugging @file{.emacs} file | |
1136 @cindex @file{.emacs} debugging | |
1137 @cindex Init file debugging | |
1138 @cindex @samp{-debug-init} | |
1139 | |
1140 Start Emacs with the @samp{-debug-init} command-line option. This | |
1141 enables the Emacs Lisp debugger before evaluating your @file{.emacs} | |
1142 file, and places you in the debugger if something goes wrong. The top | |
1143 line in the @file{trace-back} buffer will be the error message, and the | |
1144 second or third line of that buffer will display the Lisp code from your | |
1145 @file{.emacs} file that caused the problem. | |
1146 | |
1147 You can also evaluate an individual function or argument to a function | |
1148 in your @file{.emacs} file by moving the cursor to the end of the | |
1149 function or argument and typing @kbd{C-x C-e} (@kbd{M-x | |
1150 eval-last-sexp}). | |
1151 | |
1152 Use @kbd{C-h v} (@kbd{M-x describe-variable}) to check the value of | |
1153 variables which you are trying to set or use. | |
1154 | |
1155 @node Displaying the current line or column, Displaying the current filename in the titlebar, Debugging a customization file, Common requests | |
1156 @section How do I make Emacs display the current line (or column) number? | |
1157 @cindex @code{line-number-mode} | |
1158 @cindex Displaying the current line or column | |
1159 @cindex Line number, displaying the current | |
1160 @cindex Column, displaying the current | |
1161 @cindex @code{mode-line-format} | |
1162 | |
1163 To have Emacs automatically display the current line number of the point | |
1164 in the mode line, do @kbd{M-x line-number-mode}. You can also put the | |
1165 form | |
1166 | |
1167 @lisp | |
1168 (setq line-number-mode t) | |
1169 @end lisp | |
1170 | |
1171 in your @file{.emacs} file to achieve this whenever you start Emacs. | |
1172 Note that Emacs will not display the line number if the buffer is larger | |
1173 than the value of the variable @code{line-number-display-limit}. | |
1174 | |
1175 As of Emacs 20, you can similarly display the current column with | |
1176 @kbd{M-x column-number-mode}, or by putting the form | |
1177 | |
1178 @lisp | |
1179 (setq column-number-mode t) | |
1180 @end lisp | |
1181 | |
1182 in your @file{.emacs} file. | |
1183 | |
1184 The "%c" format specifier in the variable @code{mode-line-format} will | |
1185 insert the current column's value into the mode line. See the | |
1186 documentation for @code{mode-line-format} (using @kbd{C-h v | |
1187 mode-line-format @key{RET}}) for more information on how to set and use | |
1188 this variable. | |
1189 | |
1190 Users of all Emacs versions can display the current column using | |
1191 @email{abraham@@iesd.auc.dk, Per Abrahamsen's} "column" package. | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
1192 @xref{Packages that do not come with Emacs}, for instructions on how to |
25474 | 1193 get it. |
1194 | |
1195 None of the vi emulation modes provide the "set number" capability of vi | |
1196 (as far as we know). | |
1197 | |
1198 @node Displaying the current filename in the titlebar, Turning on abbrevs by default, Displaying the current line or column, Common requests | |
1199 @section How can I modify the titlebar to contain the current filename? | |
1200 @cindex Titlebar, displaying the current filename in | |
1201 @cindex Filename, displaying in the titlebar | |
1202 @cindex @code{frame-title-format} | |
1203 | |
1204 The contains of an Emacs frame's titlebar is controlled by the variable | |
1205 @code{frame-title-format}, which has the same structure as the variable | |
1206 @code{mode-line-format}. (Use @kbd{C-h v} or @kbd{M-x | |
1207 describe-variable} to get information about one or both of these | |
1208 variables.) | |
1209 | |
1210 By default, the titlebar for a frame does contain the name of the buffer | |
1211 currently being visited, except if there is a single frame. In such a | |
1212 case, the titlebar contains the name of the user and the machine at | |
1213 which Emacs was invoked. This is done by setting | |
1214 @code{frame-title-format} to the default value of | |
1215 | |
1216 @lisp | |
1217 (multiple-frames "%b" ("" invocation-name "@@" system-name)) | |
1218 @end lisp | |
1219 | |
1220 To modify the behavior such that frame titlebars contain the buffer's | |
1221 name regardless of the number of existing frames, include the following | |
1222 in your @file{.emacs}: | |
1223 | |
1224 @lisp | |
1225 (setq frame-title-format "%b") | |
1226 @end lisp | |
1227 | |
1228 @node Turning on abbrevs by default, Turning on auto-fill by default, Displaying the current filename in the titlebar, Common requests | |
1229 @section How do I turn on abbrevs by default just in mode XXX? | |
1230 @cindex Abbrevs, turning on by default | |
1231 | |
1232 Put this in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
1233 | |
1234 @lisp | |
1235 (condition-case () | |
1236 (quietly-read-abbrev-file) | |
1237 (file-error nil)) | |
1238 | |
1239 (add-hook 'XXX-mode-hook | |
28344
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
1240 (lambda () |
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
1241 (setq abbrev-mode t))) |
25474 | 1242 @end lisp |
1243 | |
1244 @node Turning on auto-fill by default, Associating modes with files, Turning on abbrevs by default, Common requests | |
1245 @section How do I turn on @code{auto-fill-mode} by default? | |
1246 @cindex @code{auto-fill-mode}, activating automatically | |
1247 @cindex Filling automatically | |
1248 @cindex Automatic entry to @code{auto-fill-mode} | |
1249 | |
1250 To turn on @code{auto-fill-mode} just once for one buffer, use @kbd{M-x | |
1251 auto-fill-mode}. | |
1252 | |
1253 To turn it on for every buffer in a certain mode, you must use the hook | |
1254 for that mode. For example, to turn on @code{auto-fill} mode for all | |
1255 text buffers, including the following in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
1256 | |
1257 @lisp | |
1258 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-auto-fill) | |
1259 @end lisp | |
1260 | |
1261 If you want @code{auto-fill} mode on in all major modes, do this: | |
1262 | |
1263 @lisp | |
1264 (setq-default auto-fill-function 'do-auto-fill) | |
1265 @end lisp | |
1266 | |
1267 @node Associating modes with files, Working with unprintable characters, Turning on auto-fill by default, Common requests | |
1268 @section How do I make Emacs use a certain major mode for certain files? | |
1269 @cindex Associating modes with files | |
1270 @cindex File extensions and modes | |
1271 @cindex @code{auto-mode-alist}, modifying | |
1272 @cindex Modes, associating with file extensions | |
1273 | |
1274 If you want to use XXX mode for all files which end with the extension | |
1275 @samp{.YYY}, this will do it for you: | |
1276 | |
1277 @lisp | |
1278 (setq auto-mode-alist (cons '("\\.YYY\\'" . XXX-mode) auto-mode-alist)) | |
1279 @end lisp | |
1280 | |
1281 Otherwise put this somewhere in the first line of any file you want to | |
1282 edit in XXX mode (in the second line, if the first line begins with | |
1283 @samp{#!}): | |
1284 | |
1285 @example | |
1286 -*-XXX-*- | |
1287 @end example | |
1288 | |
1289 Beginning with Emacs 19, the variable @code{interpreter-mode-alist} | |
1290 specifies which mode to use when loading a shell script. (Emacs | |
1291 determines which interpreter you're using by examining the first line of | |
1292 the file.) This feature only applies when the file name doesn't | |
1293 indicate which mode to use. Use @kbd{C-h v} (or @kbd{M-x | |
1294 describe-variable}) on @code{interpreter-mode-alist} to learn more. | |
1295 | |
1296 @node Working with unprintable characters, Highlighting a region, Associating modes with files, Common requests | |
1297 @section How do I search for, delete, or replace unprintable (eight-bit or control) characters? | |
1298 @cindex Unprintable characters, working with | |
1299 @cindex Working with unprintable characters | |
1300 @cindex Control characters, working with | |
1301 @cindex Eight-bit characters, working with | |
1302 @cindex Searching for unprintable characters | |
1303 @cindex Regexps and unprintable characters | |
1304 | |
1305 To search for a single character that appears in the buffer as, for | |
1306 example, @samp{\237}, you can type @kbd{C-s C-q 2 3 7}. (This assumes | |
1307 the value of @code{search-quote-char} is 17 (i.e., @kbd{C-q}).) | |
1308 Searching for ALL unprintable characters is best done with a regular | |
1309 expression ("regexp") search. The easiest regexp to use for the | |
1310 unprintable chars is the complement of the regexp for the printable | |
1311 chars. | |
1312 | |
1313 @itemize @bullet | |
1314 | |
1315 @item | |
1316 Regexp for the printable chars: @samp{[\t\n\r\f -~]} | |
1317 | |
1318 @item | |
1319 Regexp for the unprintable chars: @samp{[^\t\n\r\f -~]} | |
1320 | |
1321 @end itemize | |
1322 | |
1323 To type these special characters in an interactive argument to | |
1324 @code{isearch-forward-regexp} or @code{re-search-forward}, you need to | |
1325 use @kbd{C-q}. (@samp{\t}, @samp{\n}, @samp{\r}, and @samp{\f} stand | |
1326 respectively for @key{TAB}, @key{LFD}, @key{RET}, and @kbd{C-l}.) So, | |
1327 to search for unprintable characters using @code{re-search-forward}: | |
1328 | |
1329 @kbd{M-x re-search-forward @key{RET} [^ @key{TAB} C-q @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~] @key{RET}} | |
1330 | |
1331 Using @code{isearch-forward-regexp}: | |
1332 | |
1333 @kbd{M-C-s [^ @key{TAB} @key{RET} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~]} | |
1334 | |
1335 To delete all unprintable characters, simply use replace-regexp: | |
1336 | |
1337 @kbd{M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} [^ @key{TAB} C-q @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~] @key{RET} @key{RET}} | |
1338 | |
1339 Replacing is similar to the above. To replace all unprintable | |
1340 characters with a colon, use: | |
1341 | |
1342 M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} [^ @key{TAB} C-q @key{LFD} C-q @key{RET} C-q C-l @key{SPC} -~] @key{RET} : @key{RET} | |
1343 | |
1344 @itemize @bullet | |
1345 | |
1346 @item You don't need to quote @key{TAB} with either isearch or typing | |
1347 something in the minibuffer. | |
1348 | |
1349 @end itemize | |
1350 | |
1351 @node Highlighting a region, Controlling case sensitivity, Working with unprintable characters, Common requests | |
1352 @section How can I highlight a region of text in Emacs? | |
1353 @cindex Highlighting text | |
1354 @cindex Text, highlighting | |
1355 @cindex @code{transient-mark-mode} | |
1356 @cindex Region, highlighting a | |
1357 | |
1358 If you are using a windowing system such as X, you can cause the region | |
1359 to be highlighted when the mark is active by including | |
1360 | |
1361 @lisp | |
1362 (transient-mark-mode t) | |
1363 @end lisp | |
1364 | |
1365 in your @file{.emacs} file. (Also see @xref{Turning on syntax highlighting}.) | |
1366 | |
1367 @node Controlling case sensitivity, Wrapping words automatically, Highlighting a region, Common requests | |
1368 @section How do I control Emacs's case-sensitivity when searching/replacing? | |
1369 @cindex @code{case-fold-search} | |
1370 @cindex Case sensitivity of searches | |
1371 @cindex @code{case-replace} | |
1372 @cindex Searching without case sensitivity | |
1373 @cindex Ignoring case in searches | |
1374 | |
1375 For searching, the value of the variable @code{case-fold-search} | |
1376 determines whether they are case sensitive: | |
1377 | |
1378 @lisp | |
1379 (setq case-fold-search nil) ; make searches case sensitive | |
1380 (setq case-fold-search t) ; make searches case insensitive | |
1381 @end lisp | |
1382 | |
1383 Similarly, for replacing the variable @code{case-replace} determines | |
1384 whether replacements preserve case. | |
1385 | |
1386 To change the case sensitivity just for one major mode, use the major | |
1387 mode's hook. For example: | |
1388 | |
1389 @lisp | |
1390 (add-hook 'XXX-mode-hook | |
28344
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
1391 (lambda () |
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
1392 (setq case-fold-search nil))) |
25474 | 1393 @end lisp |
1394 | |
1395 @node Wrapping words automatically, Spell-checkers, Controlling case sensitivity, Common requests | |
1396 @section How do I make Emacs wrap words for me? | |
1397 @cindex Wrapping word automatically | |
1398 @cindex @code{auto-fill-mode}, introduction to | |
1399 @cindex Maximum line width, default value | |
1400 @cindex @code{fill-column}, default value | |
1401 | |
1402 Use @code{auto-fill-mode}, activated by typing @kbd{M-x auto-fill-mode}. | |
1403 The default maximum line width is 70, determined by the variable | |
1404 @code{fill-column}. To learn how to turn this on automatically, @pxref{Turning on auto-fill by default}. | |
1405 | |
1406 @node Spell-checkers, Checking TeX and *roff documents, Wrapping words automatically, Common requests | |
1407 @section Where can I get a better spelling checker for Emacs? | |
1408 @cindex Checking spelling | |
1409 @cindex Spelling, checking text documents | |
1410 | |
1411 Use Ispell. @xref{Ispell}. | |
1412 | |
1413 @node Checking TeX and *roff documents, Changing load-path, Spell-checkers, Common requests | |
1414 @section How can I spell-check @TeX{} or *roff documents? | |
1415 @cindex Spelling, checking @TeX{} documents | |
1416 @cindex @TeX{} documents, checking spelling in | |
1417 | |
1418 Use Ispell. Ispell can handle @TeX{} and *roff documents. | |
1419 @xref{Ispell}. | |
1420 | |
1421 @node Changing load-path, Using an already running Emacs process, Checking TeX and *roff documents, Common requests | |
1422 @section How do I change @code{load-path}? | |
1423 @cindex @code{load-path}, modifying | |
1424 @cindex Modifying @code{load-path} | |
1425 @cindex Adding to @code{load-path} | |
1426 | |
1427 In general, you should only add to the @code{load-path}. You can add | |
1428 directory @var{/XXX/YYY} to the load path like this: | |
1429 | |
1430 @lisp | |
1431 (setq load-path (cons "/XXX/YYY/" load-path)) | |
1432 @end lisp | |
1433 | |
1434 To do this relative to your home directory: | |
1435 | |
1436 @lisp | |
1437 (setq load-path (cons "~/YYY/" load-path) | |
1438 @end lisp | |
1439 | |
1440 @node Using an already running Emacs process, Compiler error messages, Changing load-path, Common requests | |
1441 @section How do I use an already running Emacs from another window? | |
1442 @cindex @code{emacsclient} | |
1443 @cindex Emacs server functions | |
1444 @cindex Using an existing Emacs process | |
1445 | |
1446 @code{emacsclient}, which comes with Emacs, is for editing a file using | |
1447 an already running Emacs rather than starting up a new Emacs. It does | |
1448 this by sending a request to the already running Emacs, which must be | |
1449 expecting the request. | |
1450 | |
1451 @itemize @bullet | |
1452 | |
1453 @item | |
1454 Setup | |
1455 | |
1456 Emacs must have executed the @code{server-start} function for | |
1457 @samp{emacsclient} to work. This can be done either by a command line | |
1458 option: | |
1459 | |
1460 @example | |
1461 emacs -f server-start | |
1462 @end example | |
1463 | |
1464 or by invoking @code{server-start} from @file{.emacs}: | |
1465 | |
1466 @lisp | |
1467 (if (some conditions are met) (server-start)) | |
1468 @end lisp | |
1469 | |
1470 When this is done, Emacs starts a subprocess running a program called | |
27113
21f49fa0782b
Add socket name `esrv-USERID-SYSTEMNAME' for emacsserver.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents:
25874
diff
changeset
|
1471 @samp{server}. @samp{server} creates a Unix domain socket. The socket |
21f49fa0782b
Add socket name `esrv-USERID-SYSTEMNAME' for emacsserver.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents:
25874
diff
changeset
|
1472 is either named @file{.emacs_server}, in the user's home directory, |
21f49fa0782b
Add socket name `esrv-USERID-SYSTEMNAME' for emacsserver.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents:
25874
diff
changeset
|
1473 or @file{esrv-@var{USER-ID}-@var{SYSTEM-NAME}}, in the @file{/tmp} |
21f49fa0782b
Add socket name `esrv-USERID-SYSTEMNAME' for emacsserver.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents:
25874
diff
changeset
|
1474 directory, depending on how @samp{emacsserver} was compiled. |
25474 | 1475 |
1476 To get your news reader, mail reader, etc., to invoke | |
1477 @samp{emacsclient}, try setting the environment variable @code{EDITOR} | |
1478 (or sometimes @code{VISUAL}) to the value @samp{emacsclient}. You may | |
1479 have to specify the full pathname of the @samp{emacsclient} program | |
1480 instead. Examples: | |
1481 | |
1482 @example | |
1483 # csh commands: | |
1484 setenv EDITOR emacsclient | |
1485 | |
1486 # using full pathname | |
1487 setenv EDITOR /usr/local/emacs/etc/emacsclient | |
1488 | |
1489 # sh command: | |
1490 EDITOR=emacsclient ; export EDITOR | |
1491 @end example | |
1492 | |
1493 @item Normal use | |
1494 | |
1495 When @samp{emacsclient} is run, it connects to the @file{.emacs_server} | |
1496 socket and passes its command line options to @samp{server}. When | |
1497 @samp{server} receives these requests, it sends this information on the | |
1498 the Emacs process, which at the next opportunity will visit the files | |
1499 specified. (Line numbers can be specified just like with Emacs.) The | |
1500 user will have to switch to the Emacs window by hand. When the user is | |
1501 done editing a file, the user can type @kbd{C-x #} (or @kbd{M-x | |
1502 server-edit}) to indicate this. If there is another buffer requested by | |
1503 emacsclient, Emacs will switch to it; otherwise emacsclient will exit, | |
1504 signaling the calling program to continue. | |
1505 | |
1506 @samp{emacsclient} and @samp{server} must be running on machines which | |
1507 share the same filesystem for this to work. The pathnames that | |
1508 @samp{emacsclient} specifies should be correct for the filesystem that | |
1509 the Emacs process sees. The Emacs process should not be suspended at | |
1510 the time @samp{emacsclient} is invoked. @samp{emacsclient} should | |
1511 either be invoked from another X window or from a shell window inside | |
1512 Emacs itself. | |
1513 | |
1514 There is an enhanced version of @samp{emacsclient}/server called | |
1515 @samp{gnuserv} by @email{ange@@hplb.hpl.hp.com, Andy Norman} which is | |
1516 available in the Emacs Lisp Archive (@pxref{Packages that do not come | |
1517 with Emacs}). @samp{gnuserv} uses Internet domain sockets, so it can | |
1518 work across most network connections. It also supports the execution of | |
1519 arbitrary Emacs Lisp forms and does not require the client program to | |
1520 wait for completion. | |
1521 | |
1522 The alpha version of an enhanced @samp{gnuserv} is available | |
1523 at | |
1524 | |
1525 @uref{ftp://ftp.wellfleet.com/netman/psmith/emacs/gnuserv-2.1alpha.tar.gz} | |
1526 | |
1527 @end itemize | |
1528 | |
1529 @node Compiler error messages, Indenting switch statements, Using an already running Emacs process, Common requests | |
1530 @section How do I make Emacs recognize my compiler's funny error messages? | |
1531 @cindex Compiler error messages, recognizing | |
1532 @cindex Recognizing non-standard compiler errors | |
1533 @cindex Regexps for recognizing compiler errors | |
1534 @cindex Errors, recognizing compiler | |
1535 | |
1536 The variable @code{compilation-error-regexp-alist} helps control how | |
1537 Emacs parses your compiler output. It is a list of triples of the form: | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
1538 @code{(@var{regexp} @var{file-idx} @var{line-idx})}, where @var{regexp}, @var{file-idx} and |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
1539 @var{line-idx} are strings. To help determine what the constituent |
25474 | 1540 elements should be, load @file{compile.el} and then use @kbd{C-h v |
1541 compilation-error-regexp-alist @key{RET}} | |
1542 | |
1543 to see the current value. A good idea is to look at @file{compile.el} | |
1544 itself as the comments included for this variable are quite useful --- | |
1545 the regular expressions required for your compiler's output may be very | |
1546 close to one already provided. Once you have determined the proper | |
1547 regexps, use the following to inform Emacs of your changes: | |
1548 | |
1549 @lisp | |
1550 (setq compilation-error-regexp-alist | |
1551 (cons '(REGEXP FILE-IDX LINE-IDX) | |
1552 compilation-error-regexp-alist)) | |
1553 @end lisp | |
1554 | |
1555 @node Indenting switch statements, Horizontal scrolling, Compiler error messages, Common requests | |
1556 @section How do I change the indentation for @code{switch}? | |
1557 @cindex @code{switch}, indenting | |
1558 @cindex Indenting of @code{switch} | |
1559 | |
1560 Many people want to indent their @code{switch} statements like this: | |
1561 | |
1562 @example | |
1563 f() | |
1564 @{ | |
1565 switch(x) @{ | |
1566 case A: | |
1567 x1; | |
1568 break; | |
1569 case B: | |
1570 x2; | |
1571 break; | |
1572 default: | |
1573 x3; | |
1574 @} | |
1575 @} | |
1576 @end example | |
1577 | |
1578 The solution at first appears to be: set @code{c-indent-level} to 4 and | |
1579 @code{c-label-offset} to -2. However, this will give you an indentation | |
1580 spacing of four instead of two. | |
1581 | |
1582 The solution is to use @code{cc-mode} (the default mode for C | |
1583 programming in Emacs 20) and add the following line: | |
1584 | |
1585 @lisp | |
1586 (c-set-offset 'case-label '+) | |
1587 @end lisp | |
1588 | |
1589 There appears to be no way to do this with the old @code{c-mode}. | |
1590 | |
1591 @node Horizontal scrolling, Overwrite mode, Indenting switch statements, Common requests | |
1592 @section How can I make Emacs automatically scroll horizontally? | |
1593 @cindex @code{hscroll-mode} | |
1594 @cindex Horizontal scrolling | |
1595 @cindex Scrolling horizontally | |
1596 | |
1597 Use @code{hscroll-mode}, included in Emacs 20. Here is some information from | |
1598 the documentation, available by typing @kbd{C-h f hscroll-mode @key{RET}}: | |
1599 | |
1600 Automatically scroll horizontally when the point moves off the | |
1601 left or right edge of the window. | |
1602 | |
1603 @itemize @minus | |
1604 | |
1605 @item Type @kbd{M-x hscroll-mode} to enable it in the current buffer. | |
1606 @item Type @kbd{M-x hscroll-global-mode} to enable it in every buffer. | |
1607 @item @code{turn-on-hscroll} is useful in mode hooks as in: | |
1608 | |
1609 @lisp | |
1610 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'turn-on-hscroll) | |
1611 @end lisp | |
1612 | |
1613 @item @code{hscroll-margin} controls how close the cursor can get to the | |
1614 edge of the window. | |
1615 | |
1616 @item @code{hscroll-step-percent} controls how far to jump once we decide to do so. | |
1617 | |
1618 @end itemize | |
1619 | |
1620 @node Overwrite mode, Turning off beeping, Horizontal scrolling, Common requests | |
1621 @section How do I make Emacs "typeover" or "overwrite" instead of inserting? | |
1622 @cindex @key{Insert} | |
1623 @cindex @code{overwrite-mode} | |
1624 @cindex Overwriting existing text | |
1625 @cindex Toggling @code{overwrite-mode} | |
1626 | |
1627 @kbd{M-x overwrite-mode} (a minor mode). This toggles | |
1628 @code{overwrite-mode} on and off, so exiting from @code{overwrite-mode} | |
1629 is as easy as another @kbd{M-x overwrite-mode}. | |
1630 | |
1631 On some workstations, @key{Insert} toggles @code{overwrite-mode} on and off. | |
1632 | |
1633 @node Turning off beeping, Turning the volume down, Overwrite mode, Common requests | |
1634 @section How do I stop Emacs from beeping on a terminal? | |
1635 @cindex Beeping, turning off | |
1636 @cindex Visible bell | |
1637 @cindex Bell, visible | |
1638 | |
1639 @email{martin@@cc.gatech.edu, Martin R. Frank} writes: | |
1640 | |
1641 Tell Emacs to use the "visible bell" instead of the audible bell, and | |
1642 set the visible bell to nothing. | |
1643 | |
1644 That is, put the following in your @code{TERMCAP} environment variable | |
1645 (assuming you have one): | |
1646 | |
1647 @example | |
1648 ... :vb=: ... | |
1649 @end example | |
1650 | |
1651 And evaluate the following Lisp form: | |
1652 | |
1653 @example | |
1654 (setq visible-bell t) | |
1655 @end example | |
1656 | |
1657 @node Turning the volume down, Automatic indentation, Turning off beeping, Common requests | |
1658 @section How do I turn down the bell volume in Emacs running under X Windows? | |
1659 @cindex Bell, volume of | |
1660 @cindex Volume of bell | |
1661 | |
1662 You can adjust the bell volume and duration for all programs with the | |
1663 shell command @file{xset}. | |
1664 | |
1665 Invoking @file{xset} without any arguments produces some basic information, | |
1666 including the following: | |
1667 | |
1668 @example | |
1669 usage: xset [-display host:dpy] option ... | |
1670 To turn bell off: | |
1671 -b b off b 0 | |
1672 To set bell volume, pitch and duration: | |
1673 b [vol [pitch [dur]]] b on | |
1674 @end example | |
1675 | |
1676 @node Automatic indentation, Matching parentheses, Turning the volume down, Common requests | |
1677 @section How do I tell Emacs to automatically indent a new line to the indentation of the previous line? | |
1678 @cindex Indenting new lines | |
1679 @cindex New lines, indenting of | |
1680 @cindex Previous line, indenting according to | |
1681 | |
1682 Such behavior is automatic in Emacs 20. From the NEWS file for Emacs | |
1683 20.2: | |
1684 | |
1685 @example | |
1686 ** In Text mode, now only blank lines separate paragraphs. This makes | |
1687 it possible to get the full benefit of Adaptive Fill mode in Text mode, | |
1688 and other modes derived from it (such as Mail mode). @key{TAB} in Text | |
1689 mode now runs the command @code{indent-relative}; this makes a practical | |
1690 difference only when you use indented paragraphs. | |
1691 | |
1692 As a result, the old Indented Text mode is now identical to Text mode, | |
1693 and is an alias for it. | |
1694 | |
1695 If you want spaces at the beginning of a line to start a paragraph, use | |
1696 the new mode, Paragraph Indent Text mode. | |
1697 @end example | |
1698 | |
1699 If you have @code{auto-fill-mode} on (@pxref{Turning on auto-fill by | |
1700 default}), you can tell Emacs to prefix every line with a certain | |
1701 character sequence, the "fill prefix." Type the prefix at the beginning | |
1702 of a line, position point after it, and then type @kbd{C-x .} | |
1703 (@code{set-fill-prefix}) to set the fill prefix. Thereafter, | |
1704 auto-filling will automatically put the fill prefix at the beginning of | |
1705 new lines, and @kbd{M-q} (@code{fill-paragraph}) will maintain any fill | |
1706 prefix when refilling the paragraph. | |
1707 | |
1708 If you have paragraphs with different levels of indentation, you will | |
1709 have to set the fill prefix to the correct value each time you move to a | |
1710 new paragraph. To avoid this hassle, try one of the many packages | |
1711 available from the Emacs Lisp Archive (@pxref{Packages that do not come | |
1712 with Emacs}.) Look up "fill" and "indent" in the Lisp Code Directory | |
1713 for guidance. | |
1714 | |
1715 @node Matching parentheses, Hiding #ifdef lines, Automatic indentation, Common requests | |
1716 @section How do I show which parenthesis matches the one I'm looking at? | |
1717 @cindex Parentheses, matching | |
1718 @cindex @file{paren.el} | |
1719 @cindex Highlighting matching parentheses | |
1720 @cindex Pairs of parentheses, highlighting | |
1721 @cindex Matching parentheses | |
1722 | |
1723 As of version 19, Emacs comes with @file{paren.el}, which (when loaded) | |
1724 will automatically highlight matching parentheses whenever point (i.e., | |
1725 the cursor) is located over one. To load @file{paren.el} automatically, | |
1726 include the line | |
1727 | |
1728 @lisp | |
1729 (require 'paren) | |
1730 @end lisp | |
1731 | |
1732 in your @file{.emacs} file. @email{shutkoa@@ugsolutions.com, Alan Shutko} | |
1733 reports that as of version 20.1, you must also call @code{show-paren-mode} in | |
1734 your @file{.emacs} file: | |
1735 | |
1736 @lisp | |
1737 (show-paren-mode 1) | |
1738 @end lisp | |
1739 | |
1740 @code{customize} will let you turn on @code{show-paren-mode}. Use | |
1741 @kbd{M-x customize-group @key{RET} paren-showing @key{RET}}. From | |
1742 within @code{customize}, you can also go directly to the "paren-showing" | |
1743 group. | |
1744 | |
1745 Alternatives to paren include: | |
1746 | |
1747 @itemize @bullet | |
1748 | |
1749 @item | |
1750 If you're looking at a right parenthesis (or brace or bracket) you can | |
1751 delete it and reinsert it. Emacs will blink the cursor on the matching | |
1752 parenthesis. | |
1753 | |
1754 @item | |
1755 @kbd{M-C-f} (@code{forward-sexp}) and @kbd{M-C-b} (@code{backward-sexp}) | |
1756 will skip over one set of balanced parentheses, so you can see which | |
1757 parentheses match. (You can train it to skip over balanced brackets | |
1758 and braces at the same time by modifying the syntax @key{TAB}le.) | |
1759 | |
1760 @item | |
1761 Here is some Emacs Lisp that will make the @key{%} key show the matching | |
1762 parenthesis, like in vi. In addition, if the cursor isn't over a | |
1763 parenthesis, it simply inserts a % like normal. | |
1764 | |
1765 @lisp | |
1766 ;; By an unknown contributor | |
1767 | |
1768 (global-set-key "%" 'match-paren) | |
1769 | |
1770 (defun match-paren (arg) | |
1771 "Go to the matching paren if on a paren; otherwise insert %." | |
1772 (interactive "p") | |
1773 (cond ((looking-at "\\s\(") (forward-list 1) (backward-char 1)) | |
1774 ((looking-at "\\s\)") (forward-char 1) (backward-list 1)) | |
1775 (t (self-insert-command (or arg 1))))) | |
1776 @end lisp | |
1777 | |
1778 @end itemize | |
1779 | |
1780 @node Hiding #ifdef lines, Repeating commands, Matching parentheses, Common requests | |
1781 @section In C mode, can I show just the lines that will be left after @code{#ifdef} commands are handled by the compiler? | |
1782 @cindex @code{#ifdef}, selective display of | |
1783 @cindex @code{hide-ifdef-mode} | |
1784 @cindex Hiding @code{#ifdef} text | |
1785 @cindex Selectively displaying @code{#ifdef} code | |
1786 | |
1787 @kbd{M-x hide-ifdef-mode}. (This is a minor mode.) You might also want | |
1788 to try @file{cpp.el}, available at the Emacs Lisp Archive | |
1789 (@pxref{Packages that do not come with Emacs}). | |
1790 | |
1791 @node Repeating commands, Valid X resources, Hiding #ifdef lines, Common requests | |
1792 @section Is there an equivalent to the @code{.} (dot) command of vi? | |
1793 @cindex Repeating commands as with vi | |
1794 @cindex Command, repeat last | |
1795 @cindex @code{.}, equivalent to vi command | |
1796 | |
1797 (@code{.} is the redo command in vi. It redoes the last insertion/deletion.) | |
1798 | |
1799 As of Emacs 20.3, there is indeed a @code{repeat} command (@kbd{C-x .}) | |
1800 that repeats the last command. If you preface it with a prefix | |
1801 argument, the prefix arg is applied to the command. | |
1802 | |
1803 You can also type @kbd{C-x @key{ESC} @key{ESC}} | |
1804 (@code{repeat-complex-command}) to reinvoke commands that used the | |
1805 minibuffer to get arguments. In @code{repeat-complex-command} you can | |
1806 type @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n} to scan through all the different complex | |
1807 commands you've typed. | |
1808 | |
1809 To repeat a set of commands, use keyboard macros. (@inforef{Keyboard | |
1810 Macros, Keyboard Macros, emacs}.) | |
1811 | |
1812 If you're really desperate for the @code{.} command, use VIPER, which comes | |
1813 with Emacs, and which appears to support it. (@xref{VIPER}.) | |
1814 | |
1815 @node Valid X resources, Evaluating Emacs Lisp code, Repeating commands, Common requests | |
1816 @section What are the valid X resource settings (i.e., stuff in .Xdefaults)? | |
1817 @cindex Resources, X | |
1818 @cindex X resources | |
1819 @cindex Setting X resources | |
1820 | |
1821 @inforef{Resources X, Resources X, emacs}. | |
1822 | |
1823 You can also use a resource editor, such as editres (for X11R5 and | |
1824 onwards), to look at the resource names for the menu bar, assuming Emacs | |
1825 was compiled with the X toolkit. | |
1826 | |
1827 @node Evaluating Emacs Lisp code, Changing the length of a Tab, Valid X resources, Common requests | |
1828 @section How do I execute ("evaluate") a piece of Emacs Lisp code? | |
1829 @cindex Evaluating Lisp code | |
1830 @cindex Lisp forms, evaluating | |
1831 | |
1832 There are a number of ways to execute ("evaluate," in Lisp lingo) an | |
1833 Emacs Lisp "form": | |
1834 | |
1835 @itemize @bullet | |
1836 | |
1837 @item | |
1838 If you want it evaluated every time you run Emacs, put it in a file | |
1839 named @file{.emacs} in your home directory. This is known as your ".emacs | |
1840 file," and contains all of your personal customizations. | |
1841 | |
1842 @item | |
1843 You can type the form in the @file{*scratch*} buffer, and then type | |
1844 @key{LFD} (or @kbd{C-j}) after it. The result of evaluating the form | |
1845 will be inserted in the buffer. | |
1846 | |
1847 @item | |
1848 In @code{emacs-lisp-mode}, typing @kbd{M-C-x} evaluates a top-level form | |
1849 before or around point. | |
1850 | |
1851 @item | |
1852 Typing @kbd{C-x C-e} in any buffer evaluates the Lisp form immediately | |
1853 before point and prints its value in the echo area. | |
1854 | |
1855 @item | |
1856 Typing @kbd{M-:} or @kbd{M-x eval-expression} allows you to type a Lisp | |
1857 form in the minibuffer which will be evaluated. | |
1858 | |
1859 @item | |
1860 You can use @kbd{M-x load-file} to have Emacs evaluate all the Lisp | |
1861 forms in a file. (To do this from Lisp use the function @code{load} | |
1862 instead.) | |
1863 | |
1864 The functions @code{load-library}, @code{eval-region}, | |
1865 @code{eval-current-buffer}, @code{require}, and @code{autoload} are also | |
1866 useful; @pxref{Emacs Lisp documentation} if you want to learn more about | |
1867 them. | |
1868 | |
1869 @end itemize | |
1870 | |
1871 @node Changing the length of a Tab, Inserting > at the beginning of each line, Evaluating Emacs Lisp code, Common requests | |
1872 @section How do I change Emacs's idea of the @key{TAB} character's length? | |
1873 @cindex Tab length | |
1874 @cindex Length of tab character | |
1875 @cindex @code{default-tab-width} | |
1876 | |
1877 Set the variable @code{default-tab-width}. For example, to set | |
1878 @key{TAB} stops every 10 characters, insert the following in your | |
1879 @file{.emacs} file: | |
1880 | |
1881 @lisp | |
1882 (setq default-tab-width 10) | |
1883 @end lisp | |
1884 | |
1885 Do not confuse variable @code{tab-width} with variable | |
1886 @code{tab-stop-list}. The former is used for the display of literal | |
1887 @key{TAB} characters. The latter controls what characters are inserted | |
1888 when you press the @key{TAB} character in certain modes. | |
1889 | |
1890 @node Inserting > at the beginning of each line, Underlining paragraphs, Changing the length of a Tab, Common requests | |
1891 @section How do I insert @samp{>} at the beginning of every line? | |
1892 @cindex Prefix character, inserting in mail/news replies | |
1893 @cindex Replies to mail/news, inserting a prefix character | |
1894 @cindex @code{mail-yank-prefix} | |
1895 @cindex Mail replies, inserting a prefix character | |
1896 @cindex News replies, inserting a prefix character | |
1897 | |
1898 To do this to an entire buffer, type @kbd{M-< M-x replace-regexp | |
1899 @key{RET} ^ @key{RET} > @key{RET}}. | |
1900 | |
1901 To do this to a region, use @code{string-rectangle} (@kbd{C-x r t}). | |
1902 Set the mark (@kbd{C-@key{SPC}}) at the beginning of the first line you | |
1903 want to prefix, move the cursor to last line to be prefixed, and type | |
1904 @kbd{C-x r t > @key{RET}}. To do this for the whole buffer, type | |
1905 @kbd{C-x h C-x r t > @key{RET}}. | |
1906 | |
1907 If you are trying to prefix a yanked mail message with @samp{>}, you | |
1908 might want to set the variable @code{mail-yank-prefix}. Better yet, get | |
1909 the Supercite package (@pxref{Supercite}), which provides flexible | |
1910 citation for yanked mail and news messages. @xref{Changing the included | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
1911 text prefix}, for additional information. |
25474 | 1912 |
1913 @node Underlining paragraphs, Repeating a command as many times as possible, Inserting > at the beginning of each line, Common requests | |
1914 @section How do I insert "_^H" before each character in a region to get an underlined paragraph? | |
1915 @cindex Underlining a region of text | |
1916 @cindex @code{underline-region} | |
1917 | |
1918 @kbd{M-x underline-region}. | |
1919 | |
1920 @node Repeating a command as many times as possible, Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column, Underlining paragraphs, Common requests | |
1921 @section How do I repeat a command as many times as possible? | |
1922 @cindex Repeating commands | |
1923 @cindex Commands, repeating | |
1924 | |
1925 Use @kbd{C-x (} and @kbd{C-x )} to make a keyboard macro that invokes | |
1926 the command and then type @kbd{M-0 C-x e}. | |
1927 | |
1928 Any messages your command prints in the echo area will be suppressed. | |
1929 | |
1930 @node Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column, Forcing Emacs to iconify itself, Repeating a command as many times as possible, Common requests | |
1931 @section How do I make Emacs behave like this: when I go up or down, the cursor should stay in the same column even if the line is too short? | |
1932 @cindex @code{picture-mode} | |
1933 @cindex Remaining in the same column, regardless of contents | |
1934 @cindex Vertical movement in empty documents | |
1935 | |
1936 @kbd{M-x picture-mode}. | |
1937 | |
1938 @node Forcing Emacs to iconify itself, Using regular expressions, Forcing the cursor to remain in the same column, Common requests | |
1939 @section How do I tell Emacs to iconify itself? | |
1940 @cindex Iconification under X Windows | |
1941 @cindex X Windows and iconification | |
1942 @cindex Suspending Emacs | |
1943 | |
1944 @kbd{C-z} iconifies Emacs when running under X Windows and suspends Emacs | |
1945 otherwise. @inforef{Misc X, Misc X, emacs}. | |
1946 | |
1947 @node Using regular expressions, Replacing text across multiple files, Forcing Emacs to iconify itself, Common requests | |
1948 @section How do I use regexps (regular expressions) in Emacs? | |
1949 @cindex Regexps | |
1950 @cindex Regular expressions | |
1951 @cindex Differences between Unix and Emacs regexps | |
1952 @cindex Unix regeps, differences from Emacs | |
1953 @cindex Text strings, putting regexps in | |
1954 | |
1955 @inforef{Regexps, Regexps, emacs}. | |
1956 | |
1957 The "or" operator is @samp{\|}, not @samp{|}, and the grouping operators | |
1958 are @samp{\(} and @samp{\)}. Also, the string syntax for a backslash is | |
1959 @samp{\\}. To specify a regular expression like @samp{xxx\(foo\|bar\)} | |
1960 in a Lisp string, use @samp{xxx\\(foo\\|bar\\)}. | |
1961 | |
1962 Notice the doubled backslashes! | |
1963 | |
1964 @itemize @bullet | |
1965 | |
1966 @item Unlike in Unix @file{grep}, @file{sed}, etc., a complement | |
1967 character set (@samp{[^...]}) can match a newline character (@key{LFD} | |
1968 aka @kbd{C-j} aka @samp{\n}), unless newline is mentioned as one of the | |
1969 characters not to match. | |
1970 | |
1971 @item The character syntax regexps (e.g., @samp{\sw}) are not | |
1972 meaningful inside character set regexps (e.g., @samp{[aeiou]}). (This | |
1973 is actually typical for regexp syntax.) | |
1974 | |
1975 @end itemize | |
1976 | |
1977 @node Replacing text across multiple files, Documentation for etags, Using regular expressions, Common requests | |
1978 @section How do I perform a replace operation across more than one file? | |
1979 @cindex Replacing strings across files | |
1980 @cindex Multiple files, replacing across | |
1981 @cindex Files, replacing strings across multiple | |
1982 | |
1983 The "tags" feature of Emacs includes the command | |
1984 @code{tags-query-replace} which performs a query-replace across all the | |
1985 files mentioned in the TAGS file. @inforef{Tags Search, Tags Search, | |
1986 emacs}. | |
1987 | |
1988 As of Emacs 19.29, Dired mode (@kbd{M-x dired @key{RET}}, or @kbd{C-x | |
1989 d}) supports the command @code{dired-do-query-replace}, which allows | |
1990 users to replace regular expressions in multiple files. | |
1991 | |
1992 @node Documentation for etags, Disabling backups, Replacing text across multiple files, Common requests | |
1993 @section Where is the documentation for @file{etags}? | |
1994 @cindex Documentation for @file{etags} | |
1995 @cindex @file{etags}, documentation for | |
1996 | |
1997 The @file{etags} man page should be in the same place as the | |
1998 @file{emacs} man page. | |
1999 | |
2000 Quick command-line switch descriptions are also available. For example, | |
2001 @samp{etags -H}. | |
2002 | |
2003 @node Disabling backups, Disabling auto-save-mode, Documentation for etags, Common requests | |
2004 @section How do I disable backup files? | |
2005 @cindex Backups, disabling | |
2006 @cindex Disabling backups | |
2007 | |
2008 You probably don't want to do this, since backups are useful. | |
2009 | |
2010 To avoid seeing backup files (and other "uninteresting" files) in Dired, | |
2011 load dired-x by adding the following to your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2012 | |
2013 @lisp | |
2014 (add-hook 'dired-load-hook | |
28344
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
2015 (lambda () |
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
2016 (load "dired-x"))) |
25474 | 2017 @end lisp |
2018 | |
2019 With dired-x loaded, @kbd{M-o} toggles omitting in each dired buffer. | |
2020 You can make omitting the default for new dired buffers by putting the | |
2021 following in your @file{.emacs}: | |
2022 | |
2023 @lisp | |
30692
b2cc8b3e837e
(Disabling backups): Replace reference to
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents:
30009
diff
changeset
|
2024 (add-hook 'dired-mode-hook 'dired-omit-toggle) |
25474 | 2025 @end lisp |
2026 | |
2027 If you're tired of seeing backup files whenever you do an "ls" at the | |
2028 Unix shell, try GNU ls with the "-B" option. GNU ls is part of the GNU | |
2029 fileutils package, available at mirrors of @samp{ftp.gnu.org} (@pxref{Current GNU distributions} ). | |
2030 | |
2031 To disable or change how backups are made, see "Backup Names" in the | |
2032 on-line manual. | |
2033 | |
2034 @node Disabling auto-save-mode, Modifying pull-down menus, Disabling backups, Common requests | |
2035 @section How do I disable @code{auto-save-mode}? | |
2036 @cindex Disabling @code{auto-save-mode} | |
2037 @cindex Auto-saving | |
2038 @cindex Saving at frequent intervals | |
2039 | |
2040 You probably don't want to do this, since auto-saving is useful, | |
2041 especially when Emacs or your computer crashes while you are editing a | |
2042 document. | |
2043 | |
2044 Instead, you might want to change the variable | |
2045 @code{auto-save-interval}, which specifies how many keystrokes Emacs | |
2046 waits before auto-saving. Increasing this value forces Emacs to wait | |
2047 longer between auto-saves, which might annoy you less. | |
2048 | |
2049 You might also want to look into Sebastian Kremer's @code{auto-save} | |
2050 package, available from the Lisp Code Archive (@pxref{Packages that do not come | |
2051 with Emacs}). This | |
2052 package also allows you to place all auto-save files in one directory, | |
2053 such as @file{/tmp}. | |
2054 | |
2055 To disable or change how @code{auto-save-mode} works, see "Auto Save" in the | |
2056 on-line manual. | |
2057 | |
2058 @node Modifying pull-down menus, Deleting menus and menu options, Disabling auto-save-mode, Common requests | |
2059 @section How can I create or modify new pull-down menu options? | |
2060 @cindex Pull-down menus, creating or modifying | |
2061 @cindex Menus, creating or modifying | |
2062 @cindex Creating new menu options | |
2063 @cindex Modifying pull-down menus | |
2064 @cindex Menus and keymaps | |
2065 @cindex Keymaps and menus | |
2066 | |
2067 Each menu title (e.g., Buffers, File, Edit) represents a local or global | |
2068 keymap. Selecting a menu title with the mouse displays that keymap's | |
2069 non-nil contents in the form of a menu. | |
2070 | |
2071 So to add a menu option to an existing menu, all you have to do is add a | |
2072 new definition to the appropriate keymap. Adding a "forward word" | |
2073 command to the "Edit" menu thus requires the following Lisp code: | |
2074 | |
2075 @lisp | |
2076 (define-key global-map | |
2077 [menu-bar edit forward] | |
2078 '("Forward word" . forward-word)) | |
2079 @end lisp | |
2080 | |
2081 The first line adds the entry to the global keymap, which includes | |
2082 global menu bar entries. Replacing the reference to @code{global-map} | |
2083 with a local keymap would add this menu option only within a particular | |
2084 mode. | |
2085 | |
2086 The second line describes the path from the menu-bar to the new entry. | |
2087 Placing this menu entry underneath the "File" menu would mean changing | |
2088 the word "edit" in the second line to "file." | |
2089 | |
2090 The third line is a cons cell whose first element is the title that will | |
2091 be displayed, and whose second element is the function that will be | |
2092 called when that menu option is invoked. | |
2093 | |
2094 To add a new menu, rather than a new option to an existing menu, we must | |
2095 define an entirely new keymap: | |
2096 | |
2097 @lisp | |
2098 (define-key global-map [menu-bar words] | |
2099 (cons "Words" (make-sparse-keymap "Words"))) | |
2100 @end lisp | |
2101 | |
2102 The above code creates a new sparse keymap, gives it the name "Words", | |
2103 and attaches it to the global menu bar. Adding the "forward word" | |
2104 command to this new menu would thus require the following code: | |
2105 | |
2106 @lisp | |
2107 (define-key global-map | |
2108 [menu-bar words forward] | |
2109 '("Forward word" . forward-word)) | |
2110 @end lisp | |
2111 | |
2112 Note that because of the way keymaps work, menu options are displayed | |
2113 with the more recently defined items at the top. Thus if you were to | |
2114 define menu options "foo", "bar", and "baz" (in that order), menu option | |
2115 "baz" would appear at the top, and "foo" would be at the bottom. | |
2116 | |
2117 One way to avoid this problem is to use the function @code{define-key-after}, | |
2118 which works the same as @code{define-key}, but lets you modify where items | |
2119 appear. The following Lisp code would insert the "forward word" function | |
2120 in the "edit" menu immediately following the "undo" option: | |
2121 | |
2122 @lisp | |
2123 (define-key-after | |
2124 (lookup-key global-map [menu-bar edit]) | |
2125 [forward] | |
2126 '("Forward word" . forward-word) | |
2127 'undo) | |
2128 @end lisp | |
2129 | |
2130 Note how the second and third arguments to @code{define-key-after} are | |
2131 different from those of @code{define-key}, and that we have added a new | |
2132 (final) argument, the function after which our new key should be | |
2133 defined. | |
2134 | |
2135 To move a menu option from one position to another, simply evaluate | |
2136 @code{define-key-after} with the appropriate final argument. | |
2137 | |
2138 More detailed information --- and more examples of how to create and | |
2139 modify menu options --- are in the Emacs Lisp Reference Manual, under | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2140 "Keymaps". (@pxref{Emacs Lisp documentation} for information on this |
25474 | 2141 manual.) |
2142 | |
2143 @node Deleting menus and menu options, Turning on syntax highlighting, Modifying pull-down menus, Common requests | |
2144 @section How do I delete menus and menu options? | |
2145 @cindex Deleting menus and menu options | |
2146 @cindex Menus, deleting | |
2147 | |
2148 The simplest way to remove a menu is to set its keymap to @samp{nil}. | |
2149 For example, to delete the "Words" menu (@pxref{Modifying pull-down | |
2150 menus}), use: | |
2151 | |
2152 @lisp | |
2153 (define-key global-map [menu-bar words] nil) | |
2154 @end lisp | |
2155 | |
2156 Similarly, removing a menu option requires redefining a keymap entry to | |
2157 @code{nil}. For example, to delete the "Forward word" menu option from the | |
2158 "Edit" menu (we added it in @ref{Modifying pull-down menus}), use: | |
2159 | |
2160 @lisp | |
2161 (define-key global-map [menu-bar edit forward] nil) | |
2162 @end lisp | |
2163 | |
2164 @node Turning on syntax highlighting, Scrolling only one line, Deleting menus and menu options, Common requests | |
2165 @section How do I turn on syntax highlighting? | |
2166 @cindex Syntax highlighting | |
2167 @cindex @code{font-lock-mode} | |
2168 @cindex Highlighting based on syntax | |
2169 @cindex Colorizing text | |
2170 @cindex FAQ, @code{font-lock-mode} | |
2171 | |
2172 @code{font-lock-mode} is the standard way to have Emacs perform syntax | |
2173 highlighting. With @code{font-lock-mode} invoked, different types of | |
2174 text will appear in different colors. For instance, if you turn on | |
2175 @code{font-lock-mode} in a programming mode, variables will appear in one | |
2176 face, keywords in a second, and comments in a third. | |
2177 | |
2178 Earlier versions of Emacs supported hilit19, a similar package. Use of | |
2179 hilit19 is now considered non-standard, although @file{hilit19.el} comes | |
2180 with the stock Emacs distribution. It is no longer maintained. | |
2181 | |
2182 To turn @code{font-lock-mode} on within an existing buffer, use @kbd{M-x | |
2183 font-lock-mode @key{RET}}. | |
2184 | |
2185 To automatically invoke @code{font-lock-mode} when a particular major | |
2186 mode is invoked, set the major mode's hook. For example, to fontify all | |
2187 @code{c-mode} buffers, add the following to your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2188 | |
2189 @lisp | |
2190 (add-hook 'c-mode-hook 'turn-on-font-lock) | |
2191 @end lisp | |
2192 | |
2193 To automatically invoke @code{font-lock-mode} for all major modes, you | |
2194 can turn on @code{global-font-lock-mode} by including the following line | |
2195 in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2196 | |
2197 @lisp | |
2198 (global-font-lock-mode 1) | |
2199 @end lisp | |
2200 | |
2201 This instructs Emacs to turn on font-lock mode in those buffers for | |
2202 which a font-lock mode definition has been provided (in the variable | |
2203 @code{font-lock-global-modes}). If you edit a file in | |
2204 @code{pie-ala-mode}, and no font-lock definitions have been provided for | |
2205 @code{pie-ala} files, then the above setting will have no effect on that | |
2206 particular buffer. | |
2207 | |
2208 Highlighting with @code{font-lock-mode} can take quite a while, and thus | |
2209 different levels of decoration are available, from slight to gaudy. To | |
2210 control how decorated your buffers should become, set the value of | |
2211 @code{font-lock-maximum-decoration} in your @file{.emacs} file, with a | |
2212 @code{nil} value indicating default (usually minimum) decoration, and a | |
2213 @code{t} value indicating the maximum decoration. For the gaudiest | |
2214 possible look, then, include the line | |
2215 | |
2216 @lisp | |
2217 (setq font-lock-maximum-decoration t) | |
2218 @end lisp | |
2219 | |
2220 in your @file{.emacs} file. You can also set this variable such that | |
2221 different modes are highlighted in a different ways; for more | |
2222 information, see the documentation for | |
2223 @code{font-lock-maximum-decoration} with @kbd{C-h v} (or @kbd{M-x | |
2224 describe-variable @key{RET}}). | |
2225 | |
2226 You might also want to investigate @code{fast-lock-mode} and | |
2227 @code{lazy-lock-mode}, versions of @code{font-lock-mode} that speed up | |
2228 highlighting. The advantage of @code{lazy-lock-mode} is that it only | |
2229 fontifies buffers when certain conditions are met, such as after a | |
2230 certain amount of idle time, or after you have finished scrolling | |
2231 through text. See the documentation for @code{lazy-lock-mode} by typing @kbd{C-h f | |
2232 @code{lazy-lock-mode}} (@kbd{M-x describe-function @key{RET} | |
2233 lazy-lock-mode @key{RET}}). | |
2234 | |
2235 Also see the documentation for the function @code{font-lock-mode}, | |
2236 available by typing @kbd{C-h f font-lock-mode} (@kbd{M-x | |
2237 describe-function @key{RET} font-lock-mode @key{RET}}). | |
2238 | |
2239 For more information on font-lock mode, take a look at the | |
2240 @code{font-lock-mode} FAQ, maintained by | |
2241 @email{jari.aalto@@ntc.nokia.com, Jari Aalto} at | |
2242 | |
2243 @uref{ftp://cs.uta.fi/pub/ssjaaa/ema-font.gui} | |
2244 | |
2245 To print buffers with the faces (i.e., colors and fonts) intact, use | |
2246 @kbd{M-x ps-print-buffer-with-faces} or @kbd{M-x | |
2247 ps-print-region-with-faces}. | |
2248 | |
2249 @node Scrolling only one line, Replacing highlighted text, Turning on syntax highlighting, Common requests | |
2250 @section How can I force Emacs to scroll only one line when I move past the bottom of the screen? | |
2251 @cindex Scrolling only one line | |
2252 @cindex Reducing the increment when scrollng | |
2253 | |
2254 Place the following Lisp form in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2255 | |
2256 @lisp | |
2257 (setq scroll-step 1) | |
2258 @end lisp | |
2259 | |
2260 @inforef{Scrolling, Scrolling, emacs}. | |
2261 | |
2262 @node Replacing highlighted text, Editing MS-DOS files, Scrolling only one line, Common requests | |
2263 @section How can I replace highlighted text with what I type? | |
2264 @cindex @code{delete-selection-mode} | |
2265 @cindex Replacing highlighted text | |
2266 @cindex Highlighing and replacing text | |
2267 | |
2268 Use @code{delete-selection mode}, which you can start automatically by | |
2269 placing the following Lisp form in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2270 | |
2271 @lisp | |
2272 (delete-selection-mode t) | |
2273 @end lisp | |
2274 | |
2275 According to the documentation string for delete-selection mode (which | |
2276 you can read using @kbd{M-x describe-function @key{RET} | |
2277 delete-selection-mode @key{RET}}): | |
2278 | |
2279 @quotation | |
2280 When ON, typed text replaces the selection if the selection is active. | |
2281 When OFF, typed text is just inserted at point. | |
2282 @end quotation | |
2283 | |
2284 This mode also allows you to delete (not kill) the highlighted region by | |
2285 pressing @key{DEL}. | |
2286 | |
2287 @node Editing MS-DOS files, Filling paragraphs with a single space, Replacing highlighted text, Common requests | |
2288 @section How can I edit MS-DOS files using Emacs? | |
2289 @cindex Editing MS-DOS files | |
2290 @cindex MS-DOS files, editing | |
2291 @cindex Microsoft files, editing | |
2292 @cindex Windows files, editing | |
2293 | |
2294 As of Emacs 20, detection and handling of MS-DOS (and Windows) files is | |
2295 performed transparently. You can open MS-DOS files on a Unix system, | |
2296 edit it, and save it without having to worry about the file format. | |
2297 | |
2298 When editing an MS-DOS style file, a backslash (@samp{\}) will appear in | |
2299 the mode line. | |
2300 | |
2301 If you are running an earlier version of Emacs, get @code{crypt++} from | |
2302 the Emacs Lisp Archive (@pxref{Packages that do not come with Emacs}). | |
2303 Among other things, @code{crypt++} transparently modifies MS-DOS files | |
2304 as they are loaded and saved, allowing you to ignore the different | |
2305 conventions that Unix and MS-DOS have for delineating the end of a line. | |
2306 | |
2307 @node Filling paragraphs with a single space, , Editing MS-DOS files, Common requests | |
2308 @section How can I tell Emacs to fill paragraphs with a single space after each period? | |
2309 @cindex One space following periods | |
2310 @cindex Single space following periods | |
2311 @cindex Periods, one space following | |
2312 | |
2313 @email{ulm@@vsnhd1.cern.ch, Ulrich Mueller} suggests adding the | |
2314 following two lines to your @file{.emacs} file: | |
2315 | |
2316 @lisp | |
2317 (setq sentence-end "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\|[ \t]\\)[ \t\n]*") | |
2318 (setq sentence-end-double-space nil) | |
2319 @end lisp | |
2320 | |
2321 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
2322 @node Bugs and problems, Compiling and installing Emacs, Common requests, Top | |
2323 @chapter Bugs and problems | |
2324 @cindex Bugs and problems | |
2325 | |
2326 @menu | |
2327 * Problems with very large files:: | |
2328 * ^M in the shell buffer:: | |
2329 * Shell process exits abnormally:: | |
2330 * Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs:: | |
2331 * Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode:: | |
2332 * Problems talking to certain hosts:: | |
2333 * Errors with init files:: | |
2334 * Emacs ignores X resources:: | |
2335 * Emacs takes a long time to visit files:: | |
2336 * Editing files with $ in the name:: | |
2337 * Shell mode loses the current directory:: | |
2338 * Security risks with Emacs:: | |
2339 * Dired claims that no file is on this line:: | |
2340 @end menu | |
2341 | |
2342 @node Problems with very large files, ^M in the shell buffer, Bugs and problems, Bugs and problems | |
2343 @section Does Emacs have problems with files larger than 8 megabytes? | |
2344 @cindex Very large files, opening | |
2345 @cindex Large files, opening | |
2346 @cindex Opening very large files | |
2347 @cindex Maximum file size | |
2348 @cindex Files, maximum size | |
2349 | |
2350 Old versions (i.e., anything before 19.29) of Emacs had problems editing | |
2351 files larger than 8 megabytes. As of version 19.29, the maximum buffer | |
2352 size is at least 2^27-1, or 134,217,727 bytes. | |
2353 | |
2354 If you are using an older version of Emacs and cannot upgrade, you will | |
2355 have to recompile. @email{lnz@@lucid.com, Leonard N. Zubkoff} suggests | |
2356 putting the following two lines in @file{src/config.h} before compiling | |
2357 Emacs to allow for 26-bit integers and pointers (and thus file sizes of | |
2358 up to 33,554,431 bytes): | |
2359 | |
2360 @example | |
2361 #define VALBITS 26 | |
2362 #define GCTYPEBITS 5 | |
2363 @end example | |
2364 | |
2365 This method may result in "ILLEGAL DATATYPE" and other random errors on | |
2366 some machines. | |
2367 | |
2368 @email{daveg@@csvax.cs.caltech.edu, David Gillespie} explains how this | |
2369 problems crops up; while his numbers are true only for pre-19.29 | |
2370 versions of Emacs, the theory remains the same with current versions. | |
2371 | |
2372 @quotation | |
2373 Emacs is largely written in a dialect of Lisp; Lisp is a freely-typed | |
2374 language in the sense that you can put any value of any type into any | |
2375 variable, or return it from a function, and so on. So each value | |
2376 must carry a "tag" along with it identifying what kind of thing it is, | |
2377 e.g., integer, pointer to a list, pointer to an editing buffer, and so | |
2378 on. Emacs uses standard 32-bit integers for data objects, taking the | |
2379 top 8 bits for the tag and the bottom 24 bits for the value. So | |
2380 integers (and pointers) are somewhat restricted compared to true C | |
2381 integers and pointers. | |
2382 @end quotation | |
2383 | |
2384 @node ^M in the shell buffer, Shell process exits abnormally, Problems with very large files, Bugs and problems | |
2385 @section How do I get rid of @samp{^M} or echoed commands in my shell buffer? | |
2386 @cindex Shell buffer, echoed commands and @samp{^M} in | |
2387 @cindex Echoed commands in @code{shell-mode} | |
2388 | |
2389 Try typing @kbd{M-x shell-strip-ctrl-m @key{RET}} while in @code{shell-mode} to | |
2390 make them go away. If that doesn't work, you have several options: | |
2391 | |
2392 For tcsh, put this in your @file{.cshrc} (or @file{.tcshrc}) file: | |
2393 | |
2394 @example | |
2395 if ($?EMACS) then | |
2396 if ("$EMACS" == t) then | |
2397 if ($?tcsh) unset edit | |
2398 stty nl | |
2399 endif | |
2400 endif | |
2401 @end example | |
2402 | |
2403 Or put this in your @file{.emacs_tcsh} file: | |
2404 | |
2405 @example | |
2406 unset edit | |
2407 stty nl | |
2408 @end example | |
2409 | |
2410 Alternatively, use @file{csh} in your shell buffers instead of | |
2411 @file{tcsh}. One way is: | |
2412 | |
2413 @lisp | |
2414 (setq explicit-shell-file-name "/bin/csh") | |
2415 @end lisp | |
2416 | |
2417 and another is to do this in your @file{.cshrc} (or @file{.tcshrc}) | |
2418 file: | |
2419 | |
2420 @example | |
2421 setenv ESHELL /bin/csh | |
2422 @end example | |
2423 | |
2424 (You must start Emacs over again with the environment variable properly | |
2425 set for this to take effect.) | |
2426 | |
2427 You can also set the @code{ESHELL} environment variable in Emacs Lisp | |
2428 with the following Lisp form, | |
2429 | |
2430 @lisp | |
2431 (setenv "ESHELL" "/bin/csh") | |
2432 @end lisp | |
2433 | |
2434 On a related note: If your shell is echoing your input line in the shell | |
2435 buffer, you might want to try the following command in your shell | |
2436 start-up file: | |
2437 | |
2438 @example | |
2439 stty -icrnl -onlcr -echo susp ^Z | |
2440 @end example | |
2441 | |
2442 @node Shell process exits abnormally, Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs, ^M in the shell buffer, Bugs and problems | |
2443 @section Why do I get "Process shell exited abnormally with code 1"? | |
2444 @cindex Abnormal exits from @code{shell-mode} | |
2445 @cindex @code{shell-mode} exits | |
2446 | |
2447 The most likely reason for this message is that the @samp{env} program | |
2448 is not properly installed. Compile this program for your architecture, | |
2449 and install it with @samp{a+x} permission in the architecture-dependent | |
2450 Emacs program directory. (You can find what this directory is at your | |
2451 site by inspecting the value of the variable @code{exec-directory} by | |
2452 typing @kbd{C-h v exec-directory @key{RET}}.) | |
2453 | |
2454 You should also check for other programs named @samp{env} in your path | |
2455 (e.g., SunOS has a program named @file{/usr/bin/env}). We don't | |
2456 understand why this can cause a failure and don't know a general | |
2457 solution for working around the problem in this case. | |
2458 | |
2459 The @samp{make clean} command will remove @samp{env} and other vital | |
2460 programs, so be careful when using it. | |
2461 | |
2462 It has been reported that this sometimes happened when Emacs was started | |
2463 as an X client from an xterm window (i.e., had a controlling tty) but the | |
2464 xterm was later terminated. | |
2465 | |
2466 See also @samp{PROBLEMS} (in the top-level directory when you unpack the | |
2467 Emacs source) for other possible causes of this message. | |
2468 | |
2469 @node Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs, Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode, Shell process exits abnormally, Bugs and problems | |
2470 @section Where is the termcap/terminfo entry for terminal type "emacs"? | |
2471 @cindex Termcap | |
2472 @cindex Terminfo | |
2473 @cindex Emacs entries for termcap/terminfo | |
2474 | |
2475 The termcap entry for terminal type @samp{emacs} is ordinarily put in | |
2476 the @samp{TERMCAP} environment variable of subshells. It may help in | |
2477 certain situations (e.g., using rlogin from shell buffer) to add an | |
2478 entry for @samp{emacs} to the system-wide termcap file. Here is a | |
2479 correct termcap entry for @samp{emacs}: | |
2480 | |
2481 @example | |
2482 emacs:tc=unknown: | |
2483 @end example | |
2484 | |
2485 To make a terminfo entry for "emacs", use "tic" or "captoinfo." You need | |
2486 to generate @file{/usr/lib/terminfo/e/emacs}. It may work to simply copy | |
2487 @file{/usr/lib/terminfo/d/dumb} to @file{/usr/lib/terminfo/e/emac}s. | |
2488 | |
2489 Having a termcap/terminfo entry will not enable the use of full screen | |
2490 programs in shell buffers. Use @kbd{M-x terminal-emulator} for that | |
2491 instead. | |
2492 | |
2493 A workaround to the problem of missing termcap/terminfo entries is to | |
2494 change terminal type "emacs" to type "dumb" or "unknown" in your shell | |
2495 start up file. "csh" users could put this in their .cshrc files: | |
2496 | |
2497 @example | |
2498 if ("$term" == emacs) set term=dumb | |
2499 @end example | |
2500 | |
2501 @node Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode, Problems talking to certain hosts, Termcap/Terminfo entries for Emacs, Bugs and problems | |
2502 @section Why does Emacs spontaneously start displaying "I-search:" and beeping? | |
2503 @cindex Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode | |
2504 @cindex isearch-mode, spontaneous entry into | |
2505 @cindex Beeping without obvious reason | |
2506 | |
2507 Your terminal (or something between your terminal and the computer) is | |
2508 sending @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} for flow control, and Emacs is receiving | |
2509 these characters and interpreting them as commands. (The @kbd{C-s} | |
2510 character normally invokes the @code{isearch-forward} command.) For | |
2511 possible solutions, @pxref{Handling C-s and C-q with flow control}. | |
2512 | |
2513 @node Problems talking to certain hosts, Errors with init files, Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode, Bugs and problems | |
2514 @section Why can't Emacs talk to certain hosts (or certain hostnames)? | |
2515 @cindex Hosts, Emacs cannot talk to | |
2516 @cindex @code{gethostbyname}, problematic version | |
2517 | |
2518 The problem may be that Emacs is linked with a wimpier version of | |
2519 @code{gethostbyname} than the rest of the programs on the machine. This | |
2520 is often manifested as a message on startup of "X server not responding. | |
2521 Check your @samp{DISPLAY} environment variable." or a message of | |
2522 "Unknown host" from @code{open-network-stream}. | |
2523 | |
2524 On a Sun, this may be because Emacs had to be linked with the static C | |
2525 library. The version of @code{gethostbyname} in the static C library | |
2526 may only look in @file{/etc/hosts} and the NIS (YP) maps, while the | |
2527 version in the dynamic C library may be smart enough to check DNS in | |
2528 addition to or instead of NIS. On a Motorola Delta running System V | |
2529 R3.6, the version of @code{gethostbyname} in the standard library works, | |
2530 but the one that works with NIS doesn't (the one you get with -linet). | |
2531 Other operating systems have similar problems. | |
2532 | |
2533 Try these options: | |
2534 | |
2535 @itemize @bullet | |
2536 | |
2537 @item | |
2538 Explicitly add the host you want to communicate with to @file{/etc/hosts}. | |
2539 | |
2540 @item | |
2541 Relink Emacs with this line in @file{src/config.h}: | |
2542 | |
2543 @example | |
2544 #define LIBS_SYSTEM -lresolv | |
2545 @end example | |
2546 | |
2547 @item | |
2548 Replace @code{gethostbyname} and friends in @file{libc.a} with more | |
2549 useful versions such as the ones in @file{libresolv.a}. Then relink | |
2550 Emacs. | |
2551 | |
2552 @item | |
2553 If you are actually running NIS, make sure that "ypbind" is properly | |
2554 told to do DNS lookups with the correct command line switch. | |
2555 | |
2556 @end itemize | |
2557 | |
2558 @node Errors with init files, Emacs ignores X resources, Problems talking to certain hosts, Bugs and problems | |
2559 @section Why does Emacs say "Error in init file"? | |
2560 @cindex Error in @file{.emacs} | |
2561 @cindex Error in init file | |
2562 @cindex Init file, errors in | |
2563 @cindex @file{.emacs} file, errors in | |
2564 @cindex Debugging @file{.emacs} file | |
2565 | |
2566 An error occurred while loading either your @file{.emacs} file or the | |
2567 system-wide file @file{lisp/default.el}. | |
2568 | |
2569 For information on how to debug your @file{.emacs} file, | |
2570 @pxref{Debugging a customization file}. | |
2571 | |
2572 It may be the case that you need to load some package first, or use a | |
2573 hook that will be evaluated after the package is loaded. A common case | |
2574 of this is explained in @ref{Terminal setup code works after Emacs has | |
2575 begun}. | |
2576 | |
2577 @node Emacs ignores X resources, Emacs takes a long time to visit files, Errors with init files, Bugs and problems | |
2578 @section Why does Emacs ignore my X resources (my .Xdefaults file)? | |
2579 @cindex X resources being ignored | |
2580 @cindex Ignored X resources | |
2581 @cindex @file{.Xdefaults} | |
2582 | |
2583 As of version 19, Emacs searches for X resources in the files specified | |
2584 by the following environment variables: | |
2585 | |
2586 @itemize @bullet | |
2587 | |
2588 @item @code{XFILESEARCHPATH} | |
2589 @item @code{XUSERFILESEARCHPATH} | |
2590 @item @code{XAPPLRESDIR} | |
2591 | |
2592 @end itemize | |
2593 | |
2594 This emulates the functionality provided by programs written using Xt. | |
2595 | |
2596 @code{XFILESEARCHPATH} and @code{XUSERFILESEARCHPATH} should be a list | |
2597 of file names separated by colons. @code{XAPPLRESDIR} should be a list | |
2598 of directory names separated by colons. | |
2599 | |
2600 Emacs searches for X resources: | |
2601 | |
2602 @enumerate | |
2603 | |
2604 @item specified on the command line, with the @samp{-xrm RESOURCESTRING} option, | |
2605 @item then in the value of the @samp{XENVIRONMENT} environment variable, | |
2606 | |
2607 @itemize @minus | |
2608 | |
2609 @item or if that is unset, in the file named @samp{~/.Xdefaults-HOSTNAME} if it exists (where @samp{HOSTNAME} is the hostname of the machine Emacs is running on), | |
2610 | |
2611 @end itemize | |
2612 | |
2613 @item then in the screen-specific and server-wide resource properties provided by the server, | |
2614 | |
2615 @itemize @minus | |
2616 | |
2617 @item or if those properties are unset, in the file named ~/.Xdefaults if it exists, | |
2618 | |
2619 @end itemize | |
2620 | |
2621 @item then in the files listed in @samp{XUSERFILESEARCHPATH}, | |
2622 | |
2623 @itemize @minus | |
2624 | |
2625 @item or in files named @file{LANG/Emacs} in directories listed in @samp{XAPPLRESDIR} (where @samp{LANG} is the value of the @samp{LANG} environment variable), if the @samp{LANG} environment variable is set, | |
2626 @item or in files named Emacs in the directories listed in @samp{XAPPLRESDIR} | |
2627 @item or in @file{~/LANG/Emacs} (if the @samp{LANG} environment variable is set), | |
2628 @item or in @file{~/Emacs}, | |
2629 | |
2630 @end itemize | |
2631 | |
2632 @item then in the files listed in @code{XFILESEARCHPATH}. | |
2633 | |
2634 @end enumerate | |
2635 | |
2636 @node Emacs takes a long time to visit files, Editing files with $ in the name, Emacs ignores X resources, Bugs and problems | |
2637 @section Why does Emacs take 20 seconds to visit a file? | |
2638 @cindex Visiting files takes a long time | |
2639 @cindex Delay when visiting files | |
2640 @cindex Files, take a long time to visit | |
2641 | |
2642 Old versions of Emacs (i.e., versions before Emacs 20.x) often | |
2643 encountered this when the master lock file, @file{!!!SuperLock!!!} has | |
2644 been left in the lock directory somehow. Delete it. | |
2645 | |
2646 @email{meuer@@geom.umn.edu, Mark Meuer} says that NeXT NFS has a bug | |
2647 where an exclusive create succeeds but returns an error status. This | |
2648 can cause the same problem. Since Emacs's file locking doesn't work | |
2649 over NFS anyway, the best solution is to recompile Emacs with | |
2650 @code{CLASH_DETECTION} undefined. | |
2651 | |
2652 @node Editing files with $ in the name, Shell mode loses the current directory, Emacs takes a long time to visit files, Bugs and problems | |
2653 @section How do I edit a file with a @samp{$} in its name? | |
2654 @cindex Editing files with @samp{$} in the name | |
2655 @cindex @samp{$} in filenames | |
2656 @cindex Filenames containing @samp{$}, editing | |
2657 | |
2658 When entering a filename in the minibuffer, Emacs will attempt to expand | |
2659 a @samp{$} followed by a word as an environment variable. To suppress | |
2660 this behavior, type @kbd{$$} instead. | |
2661 | |
2662 @node Shell mode loses the current directory, Security risks with Emacs, Editing files with $ in the name, Bugs and problems | |
2663 @section Why does shell mode lose track of the shell's current directory? | |
2664 @cindex Current directory and @code{shell-mode} | |
2665 @cindex @code{shell-mode} and current directory | |
2666 @cindex Directory, current in @code{shell-mode} | |
2667 | |
2668 Emacs has no way of knowing when the shell actually changes its | |
2669 directory. This is an intrinsic limitation of Unix. So it tries to | |
2670 guess by recognizing @samp{cd} commands. If you type "cd" followed by a | |
2671 directory name with a variable reference (@samp{cd $HOME/bin}) or with a | |
2672 shell metacharacter (@samp{cd ../lib*}), Emacs will fail to correctly | |
2673 guess the shell's new current directory. A huge variety of fixes and | |
2674 enhancements to shell mode for this problem have been written to handle | |
2675 this problem. Check the Lisp Code Directory (@pxref{Finding a package | |
2676 with particular functionality}). | |
2677 | |
2678 You can tell Emacs the shell's current directory with the command | |
2679 @kbd{M-x dirs}. | |
2680 | |
2681 @node Security risks with Emacs, Dired claims that no file is on this line, Shell mode loses the current directory, Bugs and problems | |
2682 @section Are there any security risks in Emacs? | |
2683 @cindex Security with Emacs | |
2684 @cindex @samp{movemail} and security | |
2685 @cindex @code{file-local-variable} and security | |
2686 @cindex Synthetic X events and security | |
2687 @cindex X events and security | |
2688 | |
2689 @itemize @bullet | |
2690 | |
2691 @item The @file{movemail} incident (No, this is not a risk.) | |
2692 | |
2693 In his book @emph{The Cuckoo's Egg}, Cliff Stoll describes this in | |
2694 chapter 4. The site at LBL had installed the @file{etc/movemail} | |
2695 program setuid root. (As of version 19, @file{movemail} is in your | |
2696 architecture-specific directory; type @kbd{C-h v exec-directory | |
2697 @key{RET}} to see what it is.) Since @file{movemail} had not been | |
2698 designed for this situation, a security hole was created and users could | |
2699 get root privileges. | |
2700 | |
2701 @file{movemail} has since been changed so that this security hole will | |
2702 not exist, even if it is installed setuid root. However, | |
2703 @file{movemail} no longer needs to be installed setuid root, which | |
2704 should eliminate this particular risk. | |
2705 | |
2706 We have heard unverified reports that the 1988 Internet worm took | |
2707 advantage of this configuration problem. | |
2708 | |
2709 @item The @code{file-local-variable} feature (Yes, a risk, but easy to change.) | |
2710 | |
2711 There is an Emacs feature that allows the setting of local values for | |
2712 variables when editing a file by including specially formatted text near | |
2713 the end of the file. This feature also includes the ability to have | |
2714 arbitrary Emacs Lisp code evaluated when the file is visited. | |
2715 Obviously, there is a potential for Trojan horses to exploit this | |
2716 feature. | |
2717 | |
2718 Emacs 18 allowed this feature by default; users could disable it by | |
2719 setting the variable @code{inhibit-local-variables} to a non-nil value. | |
2720 | |
2721 As of Emacs 19, Emacs has a list of local variables that create a | |
2722 security risk. If a file tries to set one of them, it asks the user to | |
2723 confirm whether the variables should be set. You can also tell Emacs | |
2724 whether to allow the evaluation of Emacs Lisp code found at the bottom | |
2725 of files by setting the variable @code{enable-local-eval}. | |
2726 | |
2727 For more information, @inforef{File Variables, File Variables, emacs}. | |
2728 | |
2729 @item Synthetic X events (Yes, a risk; use @samp{MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1} or better.) | |
2730 | |
2731 Emacs accepts synthetic X events generated by the SendEvent request as | |
2732 though they were regular events. As a result, if you are using the | |
2733 trivial host-based authentication, other users who can open X | |
2734 connections to your X workstation can make your Emacs process do | |
2735 anything, including run other processes with your privileges. | |
2736 | |
2737 The only fix for this is to prevent other users from being able to open | |
2738 X connections. The standard way to prevent this is to use a real | |
2739 authentication mechanism, such as @samp{MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1}. If using | |
2740 the @file{xauth} program has any effect, then you are probably using | |
2741 @samp{MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1}. Your site may be using a superior | |
2742 authentication method; ask your system administrator. | |
2743 | |
2744 If real authentication is not a possibility, you may be satisfied by | |
2745 just allowing hosts access for brief intervals while you start your X | |
2746 programs, then removing the access. This reduces the risk somewhat by | |
2747 narrowing the time window when hostile users would have access, but | |
2748 @emph{does not eliminate the risk}. | |
2749 | |
2750 On most computers running Unix and X Windows, you enable and disable | |
2751 access using the @file{xhost} command. To allow all hosts access to | |
2752 your X server, use | |
2753 | |
2754 @example | |
2755 xhost + | |
2756 @end example | |
2757 | |
2758 at the shell prompt, which (on an HP machine, at least) produces the | |
2759 following message: | |
2760 | |
2761 @example | |
2762 access control disabled, clients can connect from any host | |
2763 @end example | |
2764 | |
2765 To deny all hosts access to your X server (except those explicitly | |
2766 allowed by name), use | |
2767 | |
2768 @example | |
2769 xhost - | |
2770 @end example | |
2771 | |
2772 On the test HP computer, this command generated the following message: | |
2773 | |
2774 @example | |
2775 access control enabled, only authorized clients can connect | |
2776 @end example | |
2777 | |
2778 @end itemize | |
2779 | |
2780 @node Dired claims that no file is on this line, , Security risks with Emacs, Bugs and problems | |
2781 @section Dired says, "no file on this line" when I try to do something. | |
2782 @cindex Dired does not see a file | |
2783 | |
2784 Chances are you're using a localized version of Unix that doesn't use US | |
2785 date format in dired listings. You can check this by looking at dired | |
2786 listings or by typing @code{ls -l} to a shell and looking at the dates that | |
2787 come out. | |
2788 | |
2789 Dired uses a regular expression to find the beginning of a file name. | |
2790 In a long Unix-style directory listing ("ls -l"), the file name starts | |
2791 after the date. The regexp has thus been written to look for the date, | |
2792 the format of which can vary on non-US systems. | |
2793 | |
2794 There are two approaches to solving this. The first one involves | |
2795 setting things up so that "ls -l" outputs US date format. This can be | |
2796 done by setting the locale. See your OS manual for more information. | |
2797 | |
2798 The second approach involves changing the regular expression used by | |
2799 dired, @code{dired-move-to-filename-regexp}. | |
2800 | |
2801 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
2802 @node Compiling and installing Emacs, Finding Emacs and related packages, Bugs and problems, Top | |
2803 @chapter Compiling and installing Emacs | |
2804 @cindex Compiling and installing Emacs | |
2805 | |
2806 @menu | |
2807 * Installing Emacs:: | |
2808 * Updating Emacs:: | |
2809 * Problems building Emacs:: | |
2810 * Linking with -lX11 fails:: | |
2811 @end menu | |
2812 | |
2813 @node Installing Emacs, Updating Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs | |
2814 @section How do I install Emacs? | |
2815 @cindex Installing Emacs | |
2816 @cindex Unix systems, installing Emacs on | |
2817 @cindex Downloading and installing Emacs | |
2818 @cindex Retrieving and installing Emacs | |
2819 @cindex Building Emacs from source | |
2820 @cindex Source code, building Emacs from | |
2821 @cindex Unpacking and installing Emacs | |
2822 | |
2823 This answer is meant for users of Unix and Unix-like systems. Users of | |
2824 other operating systems should see the series of questions beginning | |
2825 with @ref{Emacs for MS-DOS}, which describe where to get non-Unix source | |
2826 and binaries. These packages should come with installation | |
2827 instructions. | |
2828 | |
2829 For Unix and Unix-like systems, the easiest way is often to compile it | |
2830 from scratch. You will need: | |
2831 | |
2832 @itemize @bullet | |
2833 | |
2834 @item | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2835 Emacs sources. @xref{Current GNU distributions}, for a list of ftp sites |
25474 | 2836 that make them available. On @file{ftp.gnu.org}, the main GNU |
2837 distribution site, sources are available at | |
2838 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2839 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/emacs/emacs-20.5.tar.gz} |
25474 | 2840 |
2841 The above will obviously change as new versions of Emacs come out. For | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2842 instance, when Emacs 21 is released, it will most probably be |
25474 | 2843 available at |
2844 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2845 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/emacs/emacs-21.1.tar.gz} |
25474 | 2846 |
2847 Again, you should use one of the GNU mirror sites (@xref{Current GNU | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2848 distributions}, and adjust the URL accordingly) so as to reduce load on |
25474 | 2849 @file{ftp.gnu.org}. |
2850 | |
2851 @item | |
2852 @code{gzip}, the GNU compression utility. You can get @code{gzip} via | |
2853 anonymous ftp at mirrors of @file{ftp.gnu.org} sites; it should compile | |
2854 and install without much trouble on most systems. Once you have | |
2855 retrieved the Emacs sources, you will probably be able to uncompress | |
2856 them with the command | |
2857 | |
2858 @example | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2859 gunzip --verbose emacs-20.5.tar.gz |
25474 | 2860 @end example |
2861 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2862 changing the Emacs version (20.5), as necessary. Once gunzip has |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2863 finished doing its job, a file by the name of "emacs-20.5.tar" should |
25474 | 2864 be in your build directory. |
2865 | |
2866 @item | |
2867 @file{tar}, the "tape archiving" program, which moves multiple files | |
2868 into and out of archive files, or "tarfiles." All of the files | |
2869 comprising the Emacs source come in a single tarfile, and must be | |
2870 extracted using @file{tar} before you can build Emacs. Typically, the | |
2871 extraction command would look like | |
2872 | |
2873 @example | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2874 tar -xvvf emacs-20.5.tar |
25474 | 2875 @end example |
2876 | |
2877 The @samp{x} indicates that we want to extract files from this tarfile, | |
2878 the two @samp{v}s force verbose output, and the @samp{f} tells | |
2879 @file{tar} to use a disk file, rather than one on tape. | |
2880 | |
2881 If you're using GNU @file{tar} (available at mirrors of | |
2882 @file{ftp.gnu.org}), you can combine this step and the previous one by | |
2883 using the command | |
2884 | |
2885 @example | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2886 tar -zxvvf emacs-20.5.tar.gz |
25474 | 2887 @end example |
2888 | |
2889 The additional @samp{z} at the beginning of the options list tells GNU tar | |
2890 to uncompress the file with gunzip before extracting the tarfile's | |
2891 components. | |
2892 | |
2893 @end itemize | |
2894 | |
2895 At this point, the Emacs sources (all 25+ megabytes of them) should be | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2896 sitting in a directory called @file{emacs-20.5}. On most common Unix and |
25474 | 2897 Unix-like systems, you should be able to compile Emacs (with X Windows |
2898 support) with the following commands: | |
2899 | |
2900 @example | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2901 cd emacs-20.5 # change directory to emacs-20.5 |
25474 | 2902 ./configure # configure Emacs for your particular system |
2903 make # use Makefile to build components, then Emacs | |
2904 @end example | |
2905 | |
2906 If the @code{make} completes successfully, the odds are fairly good that | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2907 the build has gone well. (@pxref{Problems building Emacs} if you weren't |
25474 | 2908 successful.) |
2909 | |
2910 By default, Emacs is installed in the following directories: | |
2911 | |
2912 @table @file | |
2913 | |
2914 @item /usr/local/bin | |
2915 binaries | |
2916 | |
2917 @item /usr/local/share/emacs/20.xx | |
2918 Lisp code and support files | |
2919 | |
2920 @item /usr/local/info | |
2921 Info documentation | |
2922 | |
2923 @end table | |
2924 | |
2925 To install files in those default directories, become the superuser and | |
2926 type | |
2927 | |
2928 @example | |
2929 make install | |
2930 @end example | |
2931 | |
2932 Note that @code{make install} will overwrite @file{/usr/local/bin/emacs} | |
2933 and any Emacs Info files that might be in @file{/usr/local/info}. | |
2934 | |
2935 Much more verbose instructions (with many more hints and suggestions) | |
2936 come with the Emacs sources, in the file @file{INSTALL}. | |
2937 | |
2938 @node Updating Emacs, Problems building Emacs, Installing Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs | |
2939 @section How do I update Emacs to the latest version? | |
2940 @cindex Updating Emacs | |
2941 | |
2942 @xref{Installing Emacs}, and follow the instructions there for | |
2943 installation. | |
2944 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2945 Most files are placed in version-specific directories. Emacs 20.5, for |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
2946 instance, places files in @file{/usr/local/share/emacs/20.5}. |
25474 | 2947 |
2948 Upgrading should overwrite only, @file{/usr/local/bin/emacs} (the Emacs | |
2949 binary) and documentation in @file{/usr/local/info}. Back up these | |
2950 files before you upgrade, and you shouldn't have too much trouble. | |
2951 | |
2952 @node Problems building Emacs, Linking with -lX11 fails, Updating Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs | |
2953 @section What should I do if I have trouble building Emacs? | |
2954 @cindex Problems building Emacs | |
2955 @cindex Errors when building Emacs | |
2956 | |
2957 First look in the file @file{PROBLEMS} (in the top-level directory when | |
2958 you unpack the Emacs source) to see if there is already a solution for | |
2959 your problem. Next, look for other questions in this FAQ that have to | |
2960 do with Emacs installation and compilation problems. | |
2961 | |
2962 If you'd like to have someone look at your problem and help solve it, | |
2963 @pxref{Help installing Emacs}. | |
2964 | |
2965 If you cannot find a solution in the documentation, send a message to | |
2966 @email{bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org}. | |
2967 | |
2968 Please do not post it to @uref{news:gnu.emacs.help} or send e-mail to | |
2969 @email{help-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org}. For further guidelines, | |
2970 @pxref{Guidelines for newsgroup postings} and @ref{Reporting bugs}. | |
2971 | |
2972 @node Linking with -lX11 fails, , Problems building Emacs, Compiling and installing Emacs | |
2973 @section Why does linking Emacs with -lX11 fail? | |
2974 @cindex Linking with -lX11 fails | |
2975 @cindex lX11, linking fails with | |
2976 | |
2977 Emacs needs to be linked with the static version of the X11 library, | |
2978 @file{libX11.a}. This may be missing. | |
2979 | |
2980 Under OpenWindows, you may need to use "add_services" to add the | |
2981 "OpenWindows Programmers" optional software category from the CD-ROM. | |
2982 | |
2983 Under HP-UX 8.0, you may need to run "update" again to load the X11-PRG | |
2984 "fileset". This may be missing even if you specified "all filesets" the | |
2985 first time. If @file{libcurses.a} is missing, you may need to load the | |
2986 "Berkeley Development Option." | |
2987 | |
2988 @email{zoo@@armadillo.com, David Zuhn} says that MIT X builds shared | |
2989 libraries by default, and only shared libraries, on those platforms that | |
2990 support them. These shared libraries can't be used when undumping | |
2991 temacs (the last stage of the Emacs build process). To get regular | |
2992 libraries in addition to shared libraries, add this to @file{site.cf}: | |
2993 | |
2994 @example | |
2995 #define ForceNormalLib YES | |
2996 @end example | |
2997 | |
2998 Other systems may have similar problems. You can always define | |
2999 CANNOT_DUMP and link with the shared libraries instead. | |
3000 | |
3001 To get the Xmenu stuff to work, you need to find a copy of MIT's | |
3002 @file{liboldX.a}. | |
3003 | |
3004 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
3005 @node Finding Emacs and related packages, Major packages and programs, Compiling and installing Emacs, Top | |
3006 @chapter Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3007 @cindex Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3008 | |
3009 @menu | |
3010 * Finding Emacs on the Internet:: | |
3011 * Finding a package with particular functionality:: | |
3012 * Packages that do not come with Emacs:: | |
3013 * Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive:: | |
3014 * Current GNU distributions:: | |
3015 * Difference between Emacs and XEmacs:: | |
3016 * Emacs for MS-DOS:: | |
3017 * Emacs for Windows:: | |
3018 * Emacs for OS/2:: | |
3019 * Emacs for Atari ST:: | |
3020 * Emacs for the Amiga :: | |
3021 * Emacs for NeXTSTEP:: | |
3022 * Emacs for Apple computers:: | |
3023 * Emacs for VMS and DECwindows:: | |
3024 * Modes for various languages:: | |
3025 * Translating names to IP addresses:: | |
3026 @end menu | |
3027 | |
3028 @node Finding Emacs on the Internet, Finding a package with particular functionality, Finding Emacs and related packages, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3029 @section Where can I get Emacs on the net (or by snail mail)? | |
3030 @cindex Finding Emacs on the Internet | |
3031 @cindex Snail mail, ordering Emacs via | |
3032 @cindex Postal service, ordering Emacs via | |
3033 @cindex Distribution, retrieving Emacs | |
3034 @cindex Internet, retreiving from | |
3035 | |
3036 Look in the files @file{etc/DISTRIB} and @file{etc/FTP} for information | |
3037 on nearby archive sites and @file{etc/ORDERS} for mail orders. If you | |
3038 don't already have Emacs, @pxref{Informational files for Emacs} for how | |
3039 to get these files. | |
3040 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3041 @xref{Installing Emacs}, for information on how to obtain and build the latest |
25474 | 3042 version of Emacs, and @pxref{Current GNU distributions} for a list of |
3043 archive sites that make GNU software available. | |
3044 | |
3045 @node Finding a package with particular functionality, Packages that do not come with Emacs, Finding Emacs on the Internet, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3046 @section How do I find a Emacs Lisp package that does XXX? | |
3047 @cindex Package, finding | |
3048 @cindex Finding an Emacs Lisp package | |
3049 @cindex Functionality, finding a particular package | |
3050 | |
3051 First of all, you should check to make sure that the package isn't | |
3052 already available. For example, typing @kbd{M-x apropos @key{RET} | |
3053 wordstar @key{RET}} lists all functions and variables containing the | |
3054 string @samp{wordstar}. | |
3055 | |
3056 It is also possible that the package is on your system, but has not been | |
3057 loaded. To see which packages are available for loading, look through | |
3058 your computer's lisp directory (@pxref{Filename conventions}). The Lisp | |
3059 source to most most packages contains a short description of how they | |
3060 should be loaded, invoked, and configured --- so before you use or | |
3061 modify a Lisp package, see if the author has provided any hints in the | |
3062 source code. | |
3063 | |
3064 If a package does not come with Emacs, check the Lisp Code Directory. | |
3065 The LCD was originally maintained by @email{brennan@@hal.com, Dave | |
3066 Brennan}, but was recently taken over by @email{toby@@world.std.com, | |
3067 toby knudsen}, who maintains @uref{http://www.emacs.org}. The LCD is | |
3068 currently being reorganized and updated, but you can meanwhile find many | |
3069 packages at @uref{ftp://ftp.emacs.org/pub}. | |
3070 | |
3071 For now, you can search through the LCD with @file{lispdir.el}, which is | |
3072 in the process of being updated. Download it from the LCD, in the | |
3073 @file{emacs-lisp-attic/misc} directory, and then evaluate the following | |
3074 Lisp form (@pxref{Evaluating Emacs Lisp code}): | |
3075 | |
3076 @lisp | |
3077 (setq lisp-code-directory | |
3078 "/anonymous@@ftp.emacs.org:pub/emacs-lisp-attic/emacs-lisp/LCD-datafile.gz" | |
3079 elisp-archive-host "ftp.emacs.org" | |
3080 elisp-archive-directory "/pub/emacs-lisp-attic/emacs-lisp/") | |
3081 @end lisp | |
3082 | |
3083 Once you have installed @file{lispdir.el}, you can use @kbd{M-x | |
3084 lisp-dir-apropos} to search the listing. For example, @kbd{M-x | |
3085 lisp-dir-apropos @key{RET} ange-ftp @key{RET}} produces this output: | |
3086 | |
3087 @example | |
3088 GNU Emacs Lisp Code Directory Apropos --- "ange-ftp" | |
3089 "~/" refers to archive.cis.ohio-state.edu:pub/elisp-archive/ | |
3090 | |
3091 ange-ftp (4.18) 15-Jul-1992 | |
3092 Andy Norman, <ange@@hplb.hpl.hp.com> | |
3093 ~/packages/ange-ftp.tar.Z | |
3094 transparent FTP Support for GNU Emacs | |
3095 auto-save (1.19) 01-May-1992 | |
3096 Sebastian Kremer, <sk@@thp.uni-koeln.de> | |
3097 ~/misc/auto-save.el.Z | |
3098 Safer autosaving with support for ange-ftp and /tmp | |
3099 ftp-quik (1.0) 28-Jul-1993 | |
3100 Terrence Brannon, <tb06@@pl122f.eecs.lehigh.edu> | |
3101 ~/modes/ftp-quik.el.Z | |
3102 Quik access to dired'ing of ange-ftp and normal paths | |
3103 @end example | |
3104 | |
3105 @node Packages that do not come with Emacs, Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive, Finding a package with particular functionality, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3106 @section Where can I get Emacs Lisp packages that don't come with Emacs? | |
3107 @cindex Unbundled packages | |
3108 @cindex Finding other packages | |
3109 @cindex Lisp packages that do not come with Emacs | |
3110 @cindex Packages, those that do not come with Emacs | |
3111 @cindex Emacs Lisp Archive, description of | |
3112 @cindex Archive, description of the Emacs Lisp | |
3113 | |
3114 First, check the Lisp Code Directory to find the name of the package you | |
3115 are looking for (@pxref{Finding a package with particular | |
3116 functionality}). Next, check local archives and the Emacs Lisp Archive | |
3117 to find a copy of the relevant files. If you still haven't found it, | |
3118 you can send e-mail to the author asking for a copy. If you find Emacs | |
3119 Lisp code that doesn't appear in the LCD, please submit a copy to the | |
3120 LCD (@pxref{Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive}). | |
3121 | |
3122 You can access the Emacs Lisp Archive at | |
3123 | |
3124 @uref{ftp://archive.cis.ohio-state.edu/pub/emacs-lisp/} | |
3125 | |
3126 Retrieve and read the file @file{README} first. | |
3127 | |
3128 @itemize @bullet | |
3129 | |
3130 @item The archive maintainers do not have time to answer individual | |
3131 requests for packages or the list of packages in the archive. If you | |
3132 cannot use FTP or UUCP to access the archive yourself, try to find a | |
3133 friend who can, but please don't ask the maintainers. | |
3134 | |
3135 @item Any files with names ending in @samp{.Z}, @samp{.z}, or @samp{.gz} are | |
3136 compressed, so you should use "binary" mode in FTP to retrieve them. | |
3137 You should also use binary mode whenever you retrieve any files with | |
3138 names ending in @samp{.elc}. | |
3139 | |
3140 @end itemize | |
3141 | |
3142 @node Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive, Current GNU distributions, Packages that do not come with Emacs, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3143 @section How do I submit code to the Emacs Lisp Archive? | |
3144 @cindex Submitting code to the Emacs Lisp Archive | |
3145 @cindex Emacs Lisp Archive, submissions to | |
3146 @cindex Lisp Archive, submissions to | |
3147 @cindex Archive, submitting to the Emacs Lisp | |
3148 | |
3149 Guidelines and procedures for submission to the archive can be found in | |
3150 the file @file{GUIDELINES} in the archive directory (@ref{Packages that | |
3151 do not come with Emacs}). It covers documentation, copyrights, | |
3152 packaging, submission, and the Lisp Code Directory Record. Anonymous | |
3153 FTP uploads are not permitted. Instead, all submissions are mailed to | |
3154 @email{elisp-archive@@cis.ohio-state.edu}. The @file{lispdir.el} | |
3155 package has a function named @code{submit-lcd-entry} which will help you | |
3156 with this. | |
3157 | |
3158 @node Current GNU distributions, Difference between Emacs and XEmacs, Submitting to the Emacs Lisp Archive, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3159 @section Where can I get other up-to-date GNU stuff? | |
3160 @cindex Current GNU distributions | |
3161 @cindex Sources for current GNU distributions | |
3162 @cindex Stuff, current GNU | |
3163 @cindex Up-to-date GNU stuff | |
3164 @cindex Finding current GNU software | |
3165 @cindex Official GNU software sites | |
3166 | |
3167 The most up-to-date official GNU software is normally kept at | |
3168 | |
3169 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu} | |
3170 | |
3171 Read the files @file{etc/DISTRIB} and @file{etc/FTP} for more | |
3172 information. | |
3173 | |
3174 A list of sites mirroring @samp{ftp.gnu.org} can be found at | |
3175 | |
3176 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/order/ftp.html} | |
3177 | |
3178 @node Difference between Emacs and XEmacs, Emacs for MS-DOS, Current GNU distributions, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3179 @section What is the difference between Emacs and XEmacs (formerly "Lucid Emacs")? | |
3180 @cindex XEmacs | |
3181 @cindex Difference Emacs and XEmacs | |
3182 @cindex Lucid Emacs | |
3183 @cindex Epoch | |
3184 | |
3185 First of all, they're both GNU Emacs. XEmacs is just as much a later | |
3186 version of GNU Emacs as the FSF-distributed version. This FAQ refers to | |
3187 the latest version to be distributed by the FSF as "Emacs," partly | |
3188 because the XEmacs maintainers now refer to their product using the | |
3189 "XEmacs" name, and partly because there isn't any accurate way to | |
3190 differentiate between the two without getting mired in paragraphs of | |
3191 legalese and history. | |
3192 | |
3193 XEmacs, which began life as Lucid Emacs, is based on an early version of | |
3194 Emacs 19 and Epoch, an X-aware version of Emacs 18. | |
3195 | |
3196 Emacs (i.e., the version distributed by the FSF) has a larger installed | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3197 base and now always contains the MULE multilingual facilities. |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3198 XEmacs can do some clever tricks with X Windows, such as |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3199 putting arbitrary graphics in a buffer. Similar facilities have been |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3200 implemented for Emacs as part of a new redisplay implementation for |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3201 Emacs 21, expected to be released after Emacs 20.5. |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3202 Emacs and XEmacs each come with |
25474 | 3203 Lisp packages that are lacking in the other; RMS says that the FSF would |
3204 include more packages that come with XEmacs, but that the XEmacs | |
3205 maintainers don't always keep track of the authors of contributed code, | |
3206 which makes it impossible for the FSF to have certain legal papers | |
3207 signed. (Without these legal papers, the FSF will not distribute Lisp | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3208 packages with Emacs.) The two versions have some |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3209 significant differences at the Lisp programming level. |
25474 | 3210 |
3211 Many XEmacs features have found their way into recent versions of Emacs, | |
3212 and more features can be expected in the future, but there are still many | |
3213 differences between the two. | |
3214 | |
3215 @node Emacs for MS-DOS, Emacs for Windows, Difference between Emacs and XEmacs, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3216 @section Where can I get Emacs for my PC running MS-DOS? | |
3217 @cindex MS-DOS, Emacs for | |
3218 @cindex DOS, Emacs for | |
3219 @cindex Compiling Emacs for DOS | |
3220 @cindex Emacs for MS-DOS | |
3221 @cindex Tools needed to compile Emacs under DOS | |
3222 | |
3223 A pre-built binary distribution of Emacs is available from the Simtel | |
3224 archives. This version apparently works under MS-DOS and Windows (3.x, | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3225 95x, and NT) and supports long file names under Windows 9x. More |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3226 information is available from |
25474 | 3227 |
3228 @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp/v2gnu/emacs.README} | |
3229 | |
3230 The binary itself is available in the files em1934*.zip in the | |
3231 directory | |
3232 | |
3233 @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp/v2gnu/} | |
3234 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3235 If you prefer to compile Emacs for yourself, you can do so with the |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3236 current distribution directly. You will need a 386 (or |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3237 better) processor, and to be running MS-DOS 3.0 or later. According to |
25474 | 3238 @email{eliz@@is.elta.co.il, Eli Zaretskii} and |
3239 @email{hankedr@@dms.auburn.edu, Darrel Hankerson}, you will need the | |
3240 following: | |
3241 | |
3242 @table @emph | |
3243 | |
3244 @item Compiler | |
3245 djgpp version 1.12 maint 1 or later. Djgpp 2.0 or later is | |
3246 recommended, since 1.x is being phased out. Djgpp 2 supports | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3247 long filenames under Windows 9x. |
25474 | 3248 |
3249 You can get the latest release of djgpp by retrieving all of | |
3250 the files in | |
3251 | |
3252 @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp} | |
3253 | |
3254 @item Gunzip and tar | |
3255 The easiest way is to use "djtar" which comes with djgpp v2.x, | |
3256 because it can open gzip'ed tarfiles (i.e., those ending with | |
3257 ".tar.gz") in one step. Djtar comes in "djdev201.zip", from | |
3258 the URL mentioned above. | |
3259 | |
3260 @item make, mv, sed, and rm | |
3261 All of these utilities are available at | |
3262 | |
3263 @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/djgpp/v2gnu} | |
3264 | |
3265 16-bit utilities can be found in GNUish, at | |
3266 | |
3267 @uref{ftp://ftp.simtel.net/pub/simtelnet/gnu/gnuish} | |
3268 | |
3269 @end table | |
3270 | |
3271 The files @file{INSTALL} and @file{PROBLEMS} in the top-level directory | |
3272 of the Emacs source contains some additional information regarding Emacs | |
3273 under MS-DOS. | |
3274 | |
3275 For a list of other MS-DOS implementations of Emacs (and Emacs | |
3276 look-alikes), consult the list of "Emacs implementations and literature," | |
3277 available at | |
3278 | |
3279 @uref{ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/comp.emacs/} | |
3280 | |
3281 Note that while many of these programs look similar to Emacs, they often | |
3282 lack certain features, such as the Emacs Lisp extension language. | |
3283 | |
3284 @node Emacs for Windows, Emacs for OS/2, Emacs for MS-DOS, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3285 @section Where can I get Emacs for Microsoft Windows | |
3286 @cindex FAQ for NT Emacs | |
3287 @cindex Microsoft Windows, Emacs for | |
3288 @cindex Windows NT, Emacs for | |
3289 @cindex Windows '95 and '98, Emacs for | |
3290 | |
3291 For information on Emacs for Windows 95 and NT, read the FAQ produced by | |
3292 @email{voelker@@cs.washington.edu, Geoff Voelker}, available at | |
3293 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3294 @uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/windows/ntemacs.html} |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3295 |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3296 @xref{Emacs for MS-DOS}, for Windows 3.1. |
25474 | 3297 |
3298 @node Emacs for OS/2, Emacs for Atari ST, Emacs for Windows, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3299 @section Where can I get Emacs for my PC running OS/2? | |
3300 @cindex OS/2, Emacs for | |
3301 | |
3302 Emacs 19.33 is ported for emx on OS/2 2.0 or 2.1, and is available at | |
3303 | |
3304 @uref{ftp://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/apps/editors/emacs/v19.33/} | |
3305 | |
3306 @node Emacs for Atari ST, Emacs for the Amiga , Emacs for OS/2, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3307 @section Where can I get Emacs for my Atari ST? | |
3308 @cindex Atari ST, Emacs for | |
3309 @cindex TOS, Emacs for | |
3310 | |
3311 Roland Schäuble reports that Emacs 18.58 running on plain TOS and MiNT | |
3312 is available at | |
3313 @uref{ftp://atari.archive.umich.edu/Editors/Emacs-18-58/1858b-d3.zoo}. | |
3314 | |
3315 @node Emacs for the Amiga , Emacs for NeXTSTEP, Emacs for Atari ST, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3316 @section Where can I get Emacs for my Amiga? | |
3317 @cindex Amiga, Emacs for | |
3318 | |
3319 The files you need are available at | |
3320 | |
3321 @uref{ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/util/gnu/} | |
3322 | |
3323 @email{dgilbert@@gamiga.guelphnet.dweomer.org, David Gilbert} has released a | |
3324 beta version of Emacs 19.25 for the Amiga. You can get the binary at | |
3325 | |
3326 @uref{ftp://ftp.wustl.edu/pub/aminet/util/gnu/a2.0bEmacs-bin.lha} | |
3327 | |
3328 @node Emacs for NeXTSTEP, Emacs for Apple computers, Emacs for the Amiga , Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3329 @section Where can I get Emacs for NeXTSTEP? | |
3330 @cindex NeXTSTEP, Emacs for | |
3331 | |
3332 Emacs.app is a NeXTSTEP version of Emacs 19.34 which supports colors, | |
3333 menus, and multiple frames. You can get it from | |
3334 | |
3335 @uref{ftp://next-ftp.peak.org/pub/next/apps/emacs/Emacs_for_NeXTstep.4.20a1.NIHS.b.tar.gz} | |
3336 | |
3337 @node Emacs for Apple computers, Emacs for VMS and DECwindows, Emacs for NeXTSTEP, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3338 @section Where can I get Emacs for my Apple computer? | |
3339 @cindex Apple computers, Emacs for | |
3340 | |
3341 An unofficial port of GNU Emacs 18.59 to the Macintosh is available at a | |
3342 number of ftp sites, the home being | |
3343 @uref{ftp://ftp.cs.cornell.edu/pub/parmet/Emacs-1.17.sit.bin}. | |
3344 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3345 A port of Emacs 20.4 is available at |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3346 @uref{http://www.cs.hku.hk/~choi/emacs/index.html}. |
25474 | 3347 |
3348 Apple's forthcoming "OS X" is based largely on NeXTSTEP and OpenStep. | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3349 @xref{Emacs for NeXTSTEP}, for more details about that version. |
25474 | 3350 |
3351 @node Emacs for VMS and DECwindows, Modes for various languages, Emacs for Apple computers, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3352 @section Where do I get Emacs that runs on VMS under DECwindows? | |
3353 @cindex DECwindows, Emacs for | |
3354 @cindex VMS, Emacs for | |
3355 | |
3356 Up-to-date information about GNU software (including Emacs) for VMS is | |
3357 available at @uref{http://vms.gnu.org/}. | |
3358 | |
3359 @node Modes for various languages, Translating names to IP addresses, Emacs for VMS and DECwindows, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3360 @section Where can I get modes for Lex, Yacc/Bison, Bourne shell, csh, C++, Objective-C, Pascal, Java, and Awk? | |
3361 @cindex Awk, mode for | |
3362 @cindex @code{awk-mode} | |
3363 @cindex Bison, mode for | |
3364 @cindex Bourne Shell, mode for | |
3365 @cindex C++, mode for | |
3366 @cindex Java, mode for | |
3367 @cindex Lex mode | |
3368 @cindex Objective-C, mode for | |
3369 @cindex @code{pascal-mode} | |
3370 @cindex Shell mode | |
3371 @cindex Yacc mode | |
3372 @cindex @file{csh} mode | |
3373 @cindex @code{sh-mode} | |
3374 @cindex @code{cc-mode} | |
3375 | |
3376 Most of these modes are now available in standard Emacs distribution. | |
3377 To get additional modes, look in the Lisp Code Directory (@pxref{Finding | |
3378 a package with particular functionality}). For C++, if you use | |
3379 @code{lisp-dir-apropos}, you must specify the pattern with something | |
3380 like @kbd{M-x lisp-dir-apropos @key{RET} c\+\+ @key{RET}}. | |
3381 | |
3382 Barry Warsaw's @code{cc-mode} now works for C, C++, Objective-C, and | |
3383 Java code. You can get the latest version from the Emacs Lisp Archive; | |
3384 @pxref{Packages that do not come with Emacs} for details. A FAQ for | |
3385 @code{cc-mode} is available at | |
3386 @uref{http://www.python.org/emacs/cc-mode/}. | |
3387 | |
3388 @node Translating names to IP addresses, , Modes for various languages, Finding Emacs and related packages | |
3389 @section What is the IP address of XXX.YYY.ZZZ? | |
3390 @cindex Translating names to IP addresses | |
3391 @cindex IP addresses from names | |
3392 @cindex Using BIND to translate addresses | |
3393 @cindex DNS and IP addresses | |
3394 | |
3395 If you are on a Unix machine, try using the @samp{nslookup} command, | |
3396 included in the Berkeley BIND package. For example, to find the IP | |
3397 address of @samp{ftp.gnu.org}, you would type @code{nslookup | |
3398 ftp.gnu.org}. | |
3399 | |
3400 Your computer should then provide the IP address of that computer. | |
3401 | |
3402 If your site's nameserver is deficient, you can use IP addresses to FTP | |
3403 files. You can get this information by | |
3404 | |
3405 * E-mail: | |
3406 | |
3407 @example | |
3408 To: dns@@[134.214.84.25] (to grasp.insa-lyon.fr) | |
3409 Body: ip XXX.YYY.ZZZ (or "help" for more information | |
3410 and options - no quotes) | |
3411 @end example | |
3412 | |
3413 or: | |
3414 | |
3415 @example | |
3416 To: resolve@@[147.31.254.130] (to laverne.cs.widener.edu) | |
3417 Body: site XXX.YYY.ZZZ | |
3418 @end example | |
3419 | |
3420 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
3421 @node Major packages and programs, Key bindings, Finding Emacs and related packages, Top | |
3422 @chapter Major packages and programs | |
3423 @cindex Major packages and programs | |
3424 | |
3425 @menu | |
3426 * VM:: | |
3427 * Supercite:: | |
3428 * Calc:: | |
3429 * VIPER:: | |
3430 * AUC-TeX:: | |
3431 * BBDB:: | |
3432 * Ispell:: | |
3433 * w3-mode:: | |
3434 * EDB:: | |
3435 * Mailcrypt:: | |
3436 * JDE:: | |
3437 * Patch:: | |
3438 @end menu | |
3439 | |
3440 @node VM, Supercite, Major packages and programs, Major packages and programs | |
3441 @section VM (View Mail) --- another mail reader within Emacs, with MIME support | |
3442 @cindex VM | |
3443 @cindex Alternative mail software | |
3444 @cindex View Mail | |
3445 @cindex E-mail reader, VM | |
3446 | |
3447 @table @b | |
3448 | |
3449 @item Author | |
3450 @email{kyle@@uunet.uu.net, Kyle Jones} | |
3451 | |
3452 @item Latest version | |
3453 6.72 | |
3454 | |
3455 @item Distribution | |
3456 @uref{ftp://ftp.wonderworks.com/pub/vm/vm.tar.gz} | |
3457 | |
3458 @item Informational newsgroup/mailing list | |
3459 @uref{news:gnu.emacs.vm.info}@* | |
3460 Subscription requests to @email{info-vm-request@@uunet.uu.net}@* | |
3461 Submissions to @email{info-vm@@uunet.uu.net} | |
3462 | |
3463 @item Bug reports newsgroup/mailing list | |
3464 @uref{news:gnu.emacs.vm.bug}@* | |
3465 Subscription requests to @email{bug-vm-request@@uunet.uu.net}@* | |
3466 Submissions to @email{bug-vm@@uunet.uu.net} | |
3467 @end table | |
3468 | |
3469 VM 6 works with Emacs 20.4, and may cause problems with Emacs 20.3 and | |
3470 below. (Note that many people seem to use Emacs 20.3 with VM 6, without | |
3471 any problems.) Risk-averse users might wish to try VM 5.97, available | |
3472 from @uref{ftp://ftp.wonderworks.com/pub/vm/, the same FTP site}. | |
3473 | |
3474 @node Supercite, Calc, VM, Major packages and programs | |
3475 @section Supercite --- mail and news citation package within Emacs | |
3476 @cindex Supercite | |
3477 @cindex Superyank | |
3478 @cindex Mail and news citations | |
3479 @cindex News and mail citations | |
3480 @cindex Citations in mail and news | |
3481 | |
3482 @table @b | |
3483 | |
3484 @item Author | |
3485 @email{bwarsaw@@cen.com, Barry Warsaw} | |
3486 | |
3487 @item Latest version | |
3488 3.1 (comes with Emacs 20) | |
3489 | |
3490 @item Distribution | |
3491 @uref{http://www.python.org/emacs/supercite.tar.gz} | |
3492 | |
3493 @item Mailing list | |
3494 Subscription requests to @email{supercite-request@@python.org}@* | |
3495 Submissions @email{supercite@@python.org} | |
3496 | |
3497 @end table | |
3498 | |
3499 Superyank is an old version of Supercite. | |
3500 | |
3501 @node Calc, VIPER, Supercite, Major packages and programs | |
3502 @section Calc --- poor man's Mathematica within Emacs | |
3503 @cindex Programmable calculator | |
3504 @cindex Calc | |
3505 | |
3506 @table @b | |
3507 | |
3508 @item Author | |
3509 @email{daveg@@csvax.cs.caltech.edu, Dave Gillespie} | |
3510 | |
3511 @item Latest version | |
3512 2.02f | |
3513 | |
3514 @item Distribution | |
3515 @uref{ftp://ftp.gnu.org/pub/gnu/calc/calc-2.02f.tar.gz} | |
3516 | |
3517 @end table | |
3518 | |
3519 @node VIPER, AUC-TeX, Calc, Major packages and programs | |
3520 @section VIPER --- vi emulation for Emacs | |
3521 @cindex vi emulation | |
3522 @cindex VIPER | |
3523 @cindex Emulation of vi | |
3524 | |
3525 Since Emacs 19.29, the preferred vi emulation in Emacs is VIPER | |
3526 (@kbd{M-x viper-mode @key{RET}}), which comes with Emacs. It extends | |
3527 and supersedes VIP (including VIP 4.3) and provides vi emulation at | |
3528 several levels, from one that closely follows vi to one that departs | |
3529 from vi in several significant ways. | |
3530 | |
3531 For Emacs 19.28 and earlier, the following version of VIP is generally | |
3532 better than the one distributed with Emacs: | |
3533 | |
3534 @table @b | |
3535 @item Author | |
3536 @email{sane@@cs.uiuc.edu, Aamod Sane} | |
3537 | |
3538 @item Latest version | |
3539 4.3 | |
3540 | |
3541 @item Distribution | |
3542 @uref{ftp://archive.cis.ohio-state.edu/pub/emacs-lisp/modes/vip-mode.tar.Z} | |
3543 | |
3544 @end table | |
3545 | |
3546 @node AUC-TeX, BBDB, VIPER, Major packages and programs | |
3547 @section AUC TeX --- enhanced LaTeX mode with debugging facilities | |
3548 @cindex Mode for @TeX{} | |
3549 @cindex @TeX{} mode | |
3550 @cindex AUC-TeX mode for editing @TeX{} | |
3551 @cindex Writing and debugging @TeX{} | |
3552 | |
3553 @table @b | |
3554 | |
3555 @item Authors | |
3556 @email{krab@@iesd.auc.dk, Kresten Krab Thorup} and@* | |
3557 @email{abraham@@iesd.auc.dk, Per Abrahamsen} | |
3558 | |
3559 @item Latest version | |
3560 9.9p | |
3561 | |
3562 @item Distribution | |
3563 @uref{ftp://sunsite.auc.dk/packages/auctex/auctex.tar.gz} | |
3564 | |
3565 @item Web site | |
3566 @uref{http://sunsite.auc.dk/auctex/} | |
3567 | |
3568 @item Mailing list: | |
3569 Subscription requests to @email{auc-tex-request@@iesd.auc.dk}@* | |
3570 Submissions to @email{auc-tex@@iesd.auc.dk}@* | |
3571 Development team is at @email{auc-tex_mgr@@iesd.auc.dk} | |
3572 | |
3573 @end table | |
3574 | |
3575 @node BBDB, Ispell, AUC-TeX, Major packages and programs | |
3576 @section BBDB --- personal Info Rolodex integrated with mail/news readers | |
3577 @cindex BBDB | |
3578 @cindex Rolodex-like functionality | |
3579 @cindex Integrated contact database | |
3580 @cindex Contact database | |
3581 @cindex Big Brother Database | |
3582 @cindex Address book | |
3583 | |
3584 @table @b | |
3585 | |
3586 @item Maintainer | |
3587 @email{simmonmt@@acm.org, Matt Simmons} | |
3588 | |
3589 @item Latest version | |
3590 2.00 | |
3591 | |
3592 @item Distribution | |
3593 @uref{http://www.netcom.com/~simmonmt/bbdb/index.html} | |
3594 | |
3595 @item Mailing lists | |
3596 Subscription requests to @email{info-bbdb-request@@xemacs.org}@* | |
3597 Submissions to @email{info-bbdb@@xemacs.org}@* | |
3598 Release announcements: @email{bbdb-announce-request@@xemacs.org} | |
3599 | |
3600 @end table | |
3601 | |
3602 @node Ispell, w3-mode, BBDB, Major packages and programs | |
3603 @section Ispell --- spell checker in C with interface for Emacs | |
3604 @cindex Spell-checker | |
3605 @cindex Checking spelling | |
3606 @cindex Ispell | |
3607 | |
3608 @table @b | |
3609 | |
3610 @item Author | |
3611 @email{geoff@@itcorp.com, Geoff Kuenning} | |
3612 | |
3613 @item Latest version | |
3614 3.1.20 | |
3615 | |
3616 @item Distribution | |
3617 @uref{ftp://ftp.cs.ucla.edu/pub/ispell/ispell-3.1.20.tar.gz}@* | |
3618 | |
3619 @item Web site | |
3620 @uref{http://fmg-www.cs.ucla.edu/geoff/ispell.html} | |
3621 | |
3622 @end table | |
3623 | |
3624 @itemize @bullet | |
3625 | |
3626 @item Do not ask Geoff to send you the latest version of Ispell. He does not have free e-mail. | |
3627 | |
3628 @item This Ispell program is distinct from GNU Ispell 4.0. GNU Ispell | |
3629 4.0 is no longer a supported product. | |
3630 | |
3631 @end itemize | |
3632 | |
3633 @node w3-mode, EDB, Ispell, Major packages and programs | |
3634 @section w3-mode --- A World Wide Web browser inside of Emacs | |
3635 @cindex WWW browser | |
3636 @cindex Web browser | |
3637 @cindex Browser in Emacs | |
3638 @cindex @code{w3-mode} | |
3639 | |
3640 @table @b | |
3641 | |
3642 @item Author | |
3643 @email{wmperry@@spry.com, Bill Perry} | |
3644 | |
3645 @item Latest version | |
3646 4.0pre.39 | |
3647 | |
3648 @item Distribution | |
3649 @uref{ftp://ftp.cs.indiana.edu/pub/elisp/w3/w3.tar.gz} | |
3650 | |
3651 @item Mailing lists | |
3652 Receive announcements from @email{w3-announce-request@@indiana.edu}@* | |
3653 Become a beta tester at @email{w3-beta-request@@indiana.edu}@* | |
3654 Help to develop @code{w3-mode} at @email{w3-dev@@indiana.edu} | |
3655 | |
3656 @end table | |
3657 | |
3658 @node EDB, Mailcrypt, w3-mode, Major packages and programs | |
3659 @section EDB --- Database program for Emacs; replaces forms editing modes | |
3660 @cindex EDB | |
3661 @cindex Database | |
3662 @cindex Forms mode | |
3663 | |
3664 @table @b | |
3665 @item Author | |
3666 @email{mernst@@theory.lcs.mit.edu, Michael Ernst} | |
3667 | |
3668 @item Latest version | |
3669 1.21 | |
3670 | |
3671 @item Distribution | |
3672 @uref{ftp://theory.lcs.mit.edu/pub/emacs/edb} | |
3673 | |
3674 @end table | |
3675 | |
3676 @node Mailcrypt, JDE, EDB, Major packages and programs | |
3677 @section Mailcrypt --- PGP interface within Emacs mail and news | |
3678 @cindex PGP | |
3679 @cindex GPG | |
3680 @cindex Interface to PGP from Emacs mail and news | |
3681 @cindex News, interface to PGP from | |
3682 @cindex Mail, interface to PGP from | |
3683 @cindex Encryption software, interface to | |
3684 | |
3685 @table @b | |
3686 | |
3687 @item Authors | |
3688 @email{patl@@lcs.mit.edu, Patrick J. LoPresti} and @email{jin@@atype.com, Jin S. Choi} | |
3689 | |
3690 @item Maintainer | |
3691 @email{lbudney@@pobox.com, Len Budney} | |
3692 | |
3693 @item Latest version | |
3694 3.5.3 | |
3695 | |
3696 @item Distribution | |
3697 @uref{http://www.nb.net/~lbudney/linux/software/mailcrypt/mailcrypt-3.5.3.tar.gz} | |
3698 | |
3699 @item Web site | |
3700 @uref{http://www.nb.net/~lbudney/linux/software/mailcrypt.html} | |
3701 | |
3702 @end table | |
3703 | |
3704 @node JDE, Patch, Mailcrypt, Major packages and programs | |
3705 @section JDE --- Integrated development environment for Java | |
3706 @cindex Java development environment | |
3707 @cindex Integrated Java development environment | |
3708 @cindex JDE | |
3709 | |
3710 @table @b | |
3711 | |
3712 @item Author | |
3713 @email{paulk@@mathworks.com, Paul Kinnucan} | |
3714 | |
3715 @item Mailing list | |
3716 jde-subscribe@@sunsite.auc.dk | |
3717 | |
3718 @item Latest version | |
3719 2.1.1 | |
3720 | |
3721 @item Web site | |
3722 @uref{http://sunsite.auc.dk/jde/} | |
3723 | |
3724 @end table | |
3725 | |
3726 @node Patch, , JDE, Major packages and programs | |
3727 @section Patch --- program to apply "diffs" for updating files | |
3728 @cindex Updating files with diffs | |
3729 @cindex Patching source files with diffs | |
3730 @cindex Diffs and patching | |
3731 @cindex @file{patch} | |
3732 | |
3733 @table @b | |
3734 | |
3735 @item Author | |
3736 @email{lwall@@wall.org, Larry Wall} (with GNU modifications) | |
3737 | |
3738 @item Latest version | |
3739 2.5 | |
3740 | |
3741 @item Distribution | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3742 @xref{Current GNU distributions}. |
25474 | 3743 |
3744 @end table | |
3745 | |
3746 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
3747 @node Key bindings, Alternate character sets, Major packages and programs, Top | |
3748 @chapter Key bindings | |
3749 @cindex Key bindings | |
3750 | |
3751 @menu | |
3752 * Binding keys to commands:: | |
3753 * Invalid prefix characters:: | |
3754 * Terminal setup code works after Emacs has begun:: | |
3755 * Using function keys under X:: | |
3756 * Working with function and arrow keys:: | |
3757 * X key translations for Emacs:: | |
3758 * Handling C-s and C-q with flow control:: | |
3759 * Binding C-s and C-q:: | |
3760 * Backspace invokes help:: | |
3761 * stty and Backspace key:: | |
3762 * Swapping keys:: | |
3763 * Producing C-XXX with the keyboard:: | |
3764 * No Meta key:: | |
3765 * No Escape key:: | |
3766 * Compose Character:: | |
3767 * Binding combinations of modifiers and function keys:: | |
3768 * Meta key does not work in xterm:: | |
3769 * ExtendChar key does not work as Meta:: | |
3770 @end menu | |
3771 | |
3772 @node Binding keys to commands, Invalid prefix characters, Key bindings, Key bindings | |
3773 @section How do I bind keys (including function keys) to commands? | |
3774 @cindex Binding keys to commands | |
3775 @cindex Keys, binding to commands | |
3776 @cindex Commands, binding keys to | |
3777 | |
3778 Keys can be bound to commands either interactively or in your | |
3779 @file{.emacs} file. To interactively bind keys for all modes, type | |
3780 @kbd{M-x global-set-key @key{RET} KEY CMD @key{RET}}. | |
3781 | |
3782 To bind a key just in the current major mode, type @kbd{M-x local-set-key @key{RET} KEY CMD @key{RET}}. | |
3783 | |
3784 See @inforef{Key Bindings, Key Bindings, emacs} for further details. | |
3785 | |
3786 To bind keys on starting Emacs or on starting any given mode, use the | |
3787 following "trick": First bind the key interactively, then immediately | |
3788 type @kbd{C-x @key{ESC} @key{ESC} C-a C-k C-g}. Now, the command needed | |
3789 to bind the key is in the kill ring, and can be yanked into your | |
3790 @file{.emacs} file. If the key binding is global, no changes to the | |
3791 command are required. For example, | |
3792 | |
3793 @lisp | |
3794 (global-set-key (quote [f1]) (quote help-for-help)) | |
3795 @end lisp | |
3796 | |
3797 can be placed directly into the @file{.emacs} file. If the key binding is | |
3798 local, the command is used in conjunction with the "add-hook" command. | |
3799 For example, in tex-mode, a local binding might be | |
3800 | |
3801 @lisp | |
3802 (add-hook 'tex-mode-hook | |
28344
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
3803 (lambda () |
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
3804 (local-set-key (quote [f1]) (quote help-for-help)))) |
25474 | 3805 @end lisp |
3806 | |
3807 | |
3808 @itemize @bullet | |
3809 | |
3810 @item Control characters in key sequences, in the form yanked from the | |
3811 kill ring are given in their graphic form --- i.e., @key{CTRL} is shown | |
3812 as @samp{^}, @key{TAB} as a set of spaces (usually 8), etc. You may | |
3813 want to convert these into their vector or string forms. | |
3814 | |
3815 @item If a prefix key of the character sequence to be bound is already | |
3816 bound as a complete key, then you must unbind it before the new | |
3817 binding. For example, if "ESC @{" is previously bound: | |
3818 | |
3819 @lisp | |
3820 (global-unset-key [?\e ?@{]) ;; or | |
3821 (local-unset-key [?\e ?@{]) | |
3822 @end lisp | |
3823 | |
3824 @item Aside from commands and "lambda lists," a vector or string also | |
3825 can be bound to a key and thus treated as a macro. For example: | |
3826 | |
3827 @lisp | |
3828 (global-set-key [f10] [?\C-x?\e?\e?\C-a?\C-k?\C-g]) ;; or | |
3829 (global-set-key [f10] "\C-x\e\e\C-a\C-k\C-g") | |
3830 @end lisp | |
3831 | |
3832 @end itemize | |
3833 | |
3834 @node Invalid prefix characters, Terminal setup code works after Emacs has begun, Binding keys to commands, Key bindings | |
3835 @section Why does Emacs say "Key sequence XXX uses invalid prefix characters"? | |
3836 @cindex Prefix characters, invalid | |
3837 @cindex Invalid prefix characters | |
3838 @cindex Misspecified key sequences | |
3839 | |
3840 Usually, one of two things has happened. In one case, the control | |
3841 character in the key sequence has been misspecified (e.g. @samp{C-f} | |
3842 used instead of @samp{\C-f} within a Lisp expression). In the other | |
3843 case, a "prefix key" in the keystroke sequence you were trying to bind | |
3844 was already bound as a "complete key." Historically, the @samp{ESC [} | |
3845 prefix was usually the problem, in which case you should evaluate either | |
3846 of these forms before attempting to bind the key sequence: | |
3847 | |
3848 @lisp | |
3849 (global-unset-key [?\e ?[]) ;; or | |
3850 (global-unset-key "\e[") | |
3851 @end lisp | |
3852 | |
3853 @node Terminal setup code works after Emacs has begun, Using function keys under X, Invalid prefix characters, Key bindings | |
3854 @section Why doesn't this [terminal or window-system setup] code work in my @file{.emacs} file, but it works just fine after Emacs starts up? | |
3855 @cindex Terminal setup code in @file{.emacs} | |
3856 | |
3857 During startup, Emacs initializes itself according to a given code/file | |
3858 order. If some of the code executed in your @file{.emacs} file needs to | |
3859 be postponed until the initial terminal or window-system setup code has | |
3860 been executed but is not, then you will experience this problem (this | |
3861 code/file execution order is not enforced after startup). | |
3862 | |
3863 To postpone the execution of Emacs Lisp code until after terminal or | |
3864 window-system setup, treat the code as a "lambda list" and set the value | |
3865 of either the @code{term-setup-hook} or @code{window-setup-hook} | |
3866 variable to this "lambda function." For example, | |
3867 | |
3868 @lisp | |
28344
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
3869 (add-hook 'term-setup-hook |
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
3870 (lambda () |
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
3871 (when (string-match "\\`vt220" (or (getenv "TERM") "")) |
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
3872 ;; Make vt220's "Do" key behave like M-x: |
54fda0e8528a
Weed out redundant uses of `function'
Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
parents:
28127
diff
changeset
|
3873 (global-set-key [do] 'execute-extended-command)))) |
25474 | 3874 @end lisp |
3875 | |
3876 For information on what Emacs does every time it is started, see the | |
3877 @file{lisp/startup.el} file. | |
3878 | |
3879 @node Using function keys under X, Working with function and arrow keys, Terminal setup code works after Emacs has begun, Key bindings | |
3880 @section How do I use function keys under X Windows? | |
3881 @cindex Function keys | |
3882 @cindex X Windows and function keys | |
3883 @cindex Binding function keys | |
3884 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
3885 With Emacs 19, functions keys under X are bound like any other key. @xref{Binding keys to commands}, for details. |
25474 | 3886 |
3887 @node Working with function and arrow keys, X key translations for Emacs, Using function keys under X, Key bindings | |
3888 @section How do I tell what characters or symbols my function or arrow keys emit? | |
3889 @cindex Working with arrow keys | |
3890 @cindex Arrow keys, symbols generated by | |
3891 @cindex Working with function keys | |
3892 @cindex Function keys, symbols generated by | |
3893 @cindex Symbols generated by function keys | |
3894 | |
3895 Type @kbd{C-h c} then the function or arrow keys. The command will | |
3896 return either a function key symbol or character sequence (see the | |
3897 Emacs on-line documentation for an explanation). This works for other | |
3898 keys as well. | |
3899 | |
3900 @node X key translations for Emacs, Handling C-s and C-q with flow control, Working with function and arrow keys, Key bindings | |
3901 @section How do I set the X key "translations" for Emacs? | |
3902 @cindex X key translations | |
3903 @cindex Key translations under X | |
3904 @cindex Translations for keys under X | |
3905 | |
3906 Emacs is not written using the Xt library by default, so there are no | |
3907 "translations" to be set. (We aren't sure how to set such translations | |
3908 if you do build Emacs with Xt; please let us know if you've done this!) | |
3909 | |
3910 The only way to affect the behavior of keys within Emacs is through | |
3911 "xmodmap" (outside Emacs) or @code{define-key} (inside Emacs). The | |
3912 @code{define-key} command should be used in conjunction with the | |
3913 @code{function-key-map} map. For instance, | |
3914 | |
3915 @lisp | |
3916 (define-key function-key-map [M-@key{TAB}] [?\M-\t]) | |
3917 @end lisp | |
3918 | |
3919 defines the @kbd{M-@key{TAB}} key sequence. | |
3920 | |
3921 @node Handling C-s and C-q with flow control, Binding C-s and C-q, X key translations for Emacs, Key bindings | |
3922 @section How do I handle @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} being used for flow control? | |
3923 @cindex Flow control, @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} with | |
3924 @cindex @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} with flow control | |
3925 | |
3926 @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} are used in the XON/XOFF flow control protocol. | |
3927 This messes things up when you're using Emacs, because Emacs binds these | |
3928 keys to commands by default. Because Emacs won't honor them as flow | |
3929 control characters, too many of these characters are not passed on and | |
3930 overwhelm output buffers. Sometimes, intermediate software using | |
3931 XON/XOFF flow control will prevent Emacs from ever seeing @kbd{C-s} and | |
3932 @kbd{C-q}. | |
3933 | |
3934 Possible solutions: | |
3935 | |
3936 @itemize @bullet | |
3937 | |
3938 @item Disable the use of @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} for flow control. | |
3939 | |
3940 You need to determine the cause of the flow control. | |
3941 | |
3942 @itemize @minus | |
3943 | |
3944 @item your terminal | |
3945 | |
3946 Your terminal may use XON/XOFF flow control to have time to display | |
3947 all the characters it receives. For example, VT series terminals do | |
3948 this. It may be possible to turn this off from a setup menu. For | |
3949 example, on a VT220 you may select "No XOFF" in the setup menu. This | |
3950 is also true for some terminal emulation programs on PCs. | |
3951 | |
3952 When you turn off flow control at the terminal, you will also need to | |
3953 turn it off at the other end, which might be at the computer you are | |
3954 logged in to or at some terminal server in between. | |
3955 | |
3956 If you turn off flow control, characters may be lost; using a printer | |
3957 connected to the terminal may fail. You may be able to get around | |
3958 this problem by modifying the "termcap" entry for your terminal to | |
3959 include extra NUL padding characters. | |
3960 | |
3961 @item a modem | |
3962 | |
3963 If you are using a dialup connection, the modems may be using | |
3964 XON/XOFF flow control. It's not clear how to get around this. | |
3965 | |
3966 @item a router or terminal server | |
3967 | |
3968 Some network box between the terminal and your computer may be using | |
3969 XON/XOFF flow control. It may be possible to make it use some other | |
3970 kind of flow control. You will probably have to ask your local | |
3971 network experts for help with this. | |
3972 | |
3973 @item tty and/or pty devices | |
3974 | |
3975 If your connection to Emacs goes through multiple tty and/or pty | |
3976 devices, they may be using XON/XOFF flow control even when it is not | |
3977 necessary. | |
3978 | |
3979 @email{eirik@@theory.tn.cornell.edu, Eirik Fuller} writes: | |
3980 | |
3981 @quotation | |
3982 Some versions of "rlogin" (and possibly telnet) do not pass flow | |
3983 control characters to the remote system to which they connect. On | |
3984 such systems, Emacs on the remote system cannot disable flow | |
3985 control on the local system. Sometimes "rlogin -8" will avoid this | |
3986 problem. | |
3987 | |
3988 One way to cure this is to disable flow control on the local host | |
3989 (the one running rlogin, not the one running rlogind) using the | |
3990 stty command, before starting the rlogin process. On many systems, | |
3991 @samp{stty start u stop u} will do this. | |
3992 | |
3993 Some versions of @samp{tcsh} will prevent even this from working. One | |
3994 way around this is to start another shell before starting rlogin, | |
3995 and issue the @samp{stty} command to disable flow control from that shell. | |
3996 @end quotation | |
3997 | |
3998 Use @samp{stty -ixon} instead of @samp{stty start u stop u} on some systems. | |
3999 | |
4000 @end itemize | |
4001 | |
4002 @item Make Emacs speak the XON/XOFF flow control protocol. | |
4003 | |
4004 You can make Emacs treat @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} as flow control characters by | |
4005 evaluating the form | |
4006 | |
4007 @lisp | |
4008 (enable-flow-control) | |
4009 @end lisp | |
4010 | |
4011 to unconditionally enable flow control or | |
4012 | |
4013 @lisp | |
4014 (enable-flow-control-on "vt100" "h19") | |
4015 @end lisp | |
4016 | |
4017 (using your terminal names instead of @samp{vt100} or @samp{h19}) to | |
4018 enable selectively. These commands will automatically swap @kbd{C-s} | |
4019 and @kbd{C-q} to @kbd{C-\} and @kbd{C-^}. Variables can be used to | |
4020 change the default swap keys (@code{flow-control-c-s-replacement} and | |
4021 @code{flow-control-c-q-replacement}). | |
4022 | |
4023 If you are fixing this for yourself, simply put the form in your | |
4024 @file{.emacs} file. If you are fixing this for your entire site, the | |
4025 best place to put it is in the @file{lisp/site-start.el} file. Putting | |
4026 this form in @file{lisp/default.el} has the problem that if the user's | |
4027 @file{.emacs} file has an error, this will prevent | |
4028 @file{lisp/default.el} from being loaded and Emacs may be unusable for | |
4029 the user, even for correcting their @file{.emacs} file (unless they're | |
4030 smart enough to move it to another name). | |
4031 | |
4032 @end itemize | |
4033 | |
4034 For further discussion of this issue, read the file @file{PROBLEMS} (in | |
4035 the top-level directory when you unpack the Emacs source). | |
4036 | |
4037 @node Binding C-s and C-q, Backspace invokes help, Handling C-s and C-q with flow control, Key bindings | |
4038 @section How do I bind @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} (or any key) if these keys are filtered out? | |
4039 @cindex Binding @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q} | |
4040 @cindex @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q}, binding | |
4041 | |
4042 To bind @kbd{C-s} and @kbd{C-q}, use either @code{enable-flow-control} | |
4043 or @sc{enable-flow-control-on}. @xref{Handling C-s and C-q with flow | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
4044 control}, for usage and implementation details. |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
4045 |
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
4046 To bind other keys, use @code{keyboard-translate}. @xref{Swapping keys}, |
25474 | 4047 for usage details. To do this for an entire site, you should swap the |
4048 keys in @file{lisp/site-start.el}. @xref{Handling C-s and C-q with flow | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
4049 control}, for an explanation of why @file{lisp/default.el} should not be |
25474 | 4050 used. |
4051 | |
4052 @itemize @bullet | |
4053 | |
4054 @item If you do this for an entire site, the users will be confused by | |
4055 the disparity between what the documentation says and how Emacs | |
4056 actually behaves. | |
4057 | |
4058 @end itemize | |
4059 | |
4060 @node Backspace invokes help, stty and Backspace key, Binding C-s and C-q, Key bindings | |
4061 @section Why does the @key{Backspace} key invoke help? | |
4062 @cindex Backspace key invokes help | |
4063 @cindex Help invoked by Backspace | |
4064 | |
4065 The @key{Backspace} key (on most keyboards) generates ASCII code 8. | |
4066 @kbd{C-h} sends the same code. In Emacs by default @kbd{C-h} invokes | |
4067 help-command. This is intended to be easy to remember since the first | |
4068 letter of @samp{help} is @samp{h}. The easiest solution to this problem | |
4069 is to use @kbd{C-h} (and @key{Backspace}) for help and @key{DEL} (the | |
4070 @key{Delete} key) for deleting the previous character. | |
4071 | |
4072 For many people this solution may be problematic: | |
4073 | |
4074 @itemize @bullet | |
4075 | |
4076 @item | |
4077 They normally use @key{Backspace} outside of Emacs for deleting the | |
4078 previous character. This can be solved by making @key{DEL} the command | |
4079 for deleting the previous character outside of Emacs. On many Unix | |
4080 systems, this command will remap @key{DEL}: | |
4081 | |
4082 @example | |
4083 stty erase `^?' | |
4084 @end example | |
4085 | |
4086 @item | |
4087 The person may prefer using the @key{Backspace} key for deleting the | |
4088 previous character because it is more conveniently located on their | |
4089 keyboard or because they don't even have a separate Delete key. In | |
4090 this case, the @key{Backspace} key should be made to behave like | |
4091 @key{Delete}. There are several methods. | |
4092 | |
4093 @item | |
4094 Some terminals (e.g., VT3## terminals) allow the character generated | |
4095 by the @key{Backspace} key to be changed from a setup menu. | |
4096 | |
4097 @item | |
4098 You may be able to get a keyboard that is completely programmable. | |
4099 | |
4100 @item | |
4101 Under X or on a dumb terminal, it is possible to swap the | |
4102 @key{Backspace} and @key{Delete} keys inside Emacs: | |
4103 | |
4104 @lisp | |
4105 (keyboard-translate ?\C-h ?\C-?) | |
4106 @end lisp | |
4107 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
4108 @xref{Swapping keys}, for further details of "keyboard-translate". |
25474 | 4109 |
4110 @item | |
4111 Another approach is to switch key bindings and put help on @kbd{C-x h} | |
4112 instead: | |
4113 | |
4114 @lisp | |
4115 (global-set-key "\C-h" 'delete-backward-char) | |
4116 | |
4117 ;;; overrides mark-whole-buffer | |
4118 (global-set-key "\C-xh" 'help-command) | |
4119 @end lisp | |
4120 | |
4121 Other popular key bindings for help are @kbd{M-?} and @kbd{C-x ?}. | |
4122 | |
4123 Don't try to bind @key{DEL} to @code{help-command}, because there are | |
4124 many modes that have local bindings of @key{DEL} that will interfere. | |
4125 | |
4126 @end itemize | |
4127 | |
4128 @node stty and Backspace key, Swapping keys, Backspace invokes help, Key bindings | |
4129 @section Why doesn't Emacs look at the @file{stty} settings for @key{Backspace} vs. @key{Delete}? | |
4130 @cindex @file{stty} and Emacs | |
4131 @cindex Backspace and @file{stty} | |
4132 @cindex Delete and @file{stty} | |
4133 | |
4134 Good question! | |
4135 | |
4136 @node Swapping keys, Producing C-XXX with the keyboard, stty and Backspace key, Key bindings | |
4137 @section How do I swap two keys? | |
4138 @cindex Swapping keys | |
4139 @cindex Keys, swapping | |
4140 @cindex @code{keyboard-translate} | |
4141 | |
4142 In Emacs 19, you can swap two keys (or key sequences) by using the | |
4143 @code{keyboard-translate} function. For example, to turn @kbd{C-h} into | |
4144 @key{DEL} and @key{DEL} to @kbd{C-h}, use | |
4145 | |
4146 @lisp | |
4147 (keyboard-translate ?\C-h ?\C-?) ; translate `C-h' to DEL | |
4148 (keyboard-translate ?\C-? ?\C-h) ; translate DEL to `C-h'. | |
4149 @end lisp | |
4150 | |
4151 The first key sequence of the pair after the function identifies what is | |
4152 produced by the keyboard; the second, what is matched for in the | |
4153 keymaps. | |
4154 | |
4155 Keyboard translations are not the same as key bindings in keymaps. | |
4156 Emacs contains numerous keymaps that apply in different situations, but | |
4157 there is only one set of keyboard translations, and it applies to every | |
4158 character that Emacs reads from the terminal. Keyboard translations | |
4159 take place at the lowest level of input processing; the keys that are | |
4160 looked up in keymaps contain the characters that result from keyboard | |
4161 translation. | |
4162 | |
4163 @inforef{Keyboard Translations, Keyboard Translations, emacs}. | |
4164 | |
4165 @node Producing C-XXX with the keyboard, No Meta key, Swapping keys, Key bindings | |
4166 @section How do I produce C-XXX with my keyboard? | |
4167 @cindex Producing control characters | |
4168 @cindex Generating control characters | |
4169 @cindex Control characters, generating | |
4170 | |
4171 On terminals (but not under X), some common "aliases" are: | |
4172 | |
4173 @table @asis | |
4174 | |
4175 @item @kbd{C-2} or @kbd{C-@key{SPC}} | |
4176 @kbd{C-@@} | |
4177 | |
4178 @item @kbd{C-6} | |
4179 @kbd{C-^} | |
4180 | |
4181 @item @kbd{C-7} or @kbd{C-S--} | |
4182 @kbd{C-_} | |
4183 | |
4184 @item @kbd{C-4} | |
4185 @kbd{C-\} | |
4186 | |
4187 @item @kbd{C-5} | |
4188 @kbd{C-]} | |
4189 | |
4190 @item @kbd{C-/} | |
4191 @kbd{C-?} | |
4192 | |
4193 @end table | |
4194 | |
4195 Often other aliases exist; use the @kbd{C-h c} command and try | |
4196 @key{CTRL} with all of the digits on your keyboard to see what gets | |
4197 generated. You can also try the @kbd{C-h w} command if you know the | |
4198 name of the command. | |
4199 | |
4200 @node No Meta key, No Escape key, Producing C-XXX with the keyboard, Key bindings | |
4201 @section What if I don't have a @key{Meta} key? | |
4202 @cindex No @key{Meta} key | |
4203 @cindex @key{Meta} key, what to do if you lack it | |
4204 | |
4205 Instead of typing @kbd{M-a}, you can type @kbd{@key{ESC} a}. In fact, | |
4206 Emacs converts @kbd{M-a} internally into @kbd{@key{ESC} a} anyway | |
4207 (depending on the value of @code{meta-prefix-char}). Note that you | |
4208 press @key{Meta} and @key{a} together, while you press @kbd{ESC}, | |
4209 release it, and then press @key{a}. | |
4210 | |
4211 @node No Escape key, Compose Character, No Meta key, Key bindings | |
4212 @section What if I don't have an @key{Escape} key? | |
4213 @cindex No Escape key | |
4214 @cindex Lacking an Escape key | |
4215 @cindex Escape key, lacking | |
4216 | |
4217 Type @kbd{C-[} instead. This should send ASCII code 27 just like an | |
4218 Escape key would. @kbd{C-3} may also work on some terminal (but not | |
4219 under X). For many terminals (notably DEC terminals) @key{F11} | |
4220 generates @key{ESC}. If not, the following form can be used to bind it: | |
4221 | |
4222 @lisp | |
4223 ;;; F11 is the documented ESC replacement on DEC terminals. | |
4224 (define-key function-key-map [f11] [?\e]) | |
4225 @end lisp | |
4226 | |
4227 @node Compose Character, Binding combinations of modifiers and function keys, No Escape key, Key bindings | |
4228 @section Can I make my @key{Compose Character} key behave like a @key{Meta} key? | |
4229 @cindex @key{Compose Character} key, using as @key{Meta} | |
4230 @cindex @key{Meta}, using @key{Compose Character} for | |
4231 | |
4232 On a dumb terminal such as a VT220, no. It is rumored that certain | |
4233 VT220 clones could have their @key{Compose} key configured this way. If | |
4234 you're using X, you might be able to do this with the @file{xmodmap} program. | |
4235 | |
4236 @node Binding combinations of modifiers and function keys, Meta key does not work in xterm, Compose Character, Key bindings | |
4237 @section How do I bind a combination of modifier key and function key? | |
4238 @cindex Modifiers and function keys | |
4239 @cindex Function keys and modifiers | |
4240 @cindex Binding modifiers and function keys | |
4241 | |
4242 With Emacs 19 you can represent modified function keys in vector format | |
4243 by adding prefixes to the function key symbol. For example (from the | |
4244 on-line documentation): | |
4245 | |
4246 @lisp | |
4247 (global-set-key [?\C-x right] 'forward-page) | |
4248 @end lisp | |
4249 | |
4250 where @samp{?\C-x} is the Lisp character constant for the character @kbd{C-x}. | |
4251 | |
4252 You can use the modifier keys @key{Control}, @key{Meta}, @key{Hyper}, | |
4253 @key{Super}, @key{Alt}, and @key{Shift} with function keys. To | |
4254 represent these modifiers, prepend the strings @samp{C-}, @samp{M-}, | |
4255 @samp{H-}, @samp{s-}, @samp{A-}, and @samp{S-} to the symbol name. Here | |
4256 is how to make @kbd{H-M-RIGHT} move forward a word: | |
4257 | |
4258 @lisp | |
4259 (global-set-key [H-M-right] 'forward-word) | |
4260 @end lisp | |
4261 | |
4262 @itemize @bullet | |
4263 | |
4264 @item Not all modifiers are permitted in all situations. @key{Hyper}, | |
4265 @key{Super}, and @key{Alt} are available only under X (provided there | |
4266 are such keys). Non-ASCII keys and mouse events (e.g. @kbd{C-=} and | |
4267 @kbd{mouse-1}) also fall under this category. | |
4268 | |
4269 @end itemize | |
4270 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
4271 @xref{Binding keys to commands}, for general key binding instructions. |
25474 | 4272 |
4273 @node Meta key does not work in xterm, ExtendChar key does not work as Meta, Binding combinations of modifiers and function keys, Key bindings | |
4274 @section Why doesn't my @key{Meta} key work in an xterm window? | |
4275 @cindex @key{Meta} key and xterm | |
4276 @cindex Xterm and @key{Meta} key | |
4277 | |
4278 Try all of these methods before asking for further help: | |
4279 | |
4280 @itemize @bullet | |
4281 | |
4282 @item | |
4283 You may have big problems using @file{mwm} as your window manager. | |
4284 (Does anyone know a good generic solution to allow the use of the | |
4285 @key{Meta} key in Emacs with @file{mwm}?) | |
4286 | |
4287 @item | |
4288 For X11: Make sure it really is a @key{Meta} key. Use @file{xev} to | |
4289 find out what keysym your @key{Meta} key generates. It should be either | |
4290 @key{Meta}_L or @key{Meta}_R. If it isn't, use @file{xmodmap} to fix | |
4291 the situation. | |
4292 | |
4293 @item | |
4294 Make sure the pty the xterm is using is passing 8 bit characters. | |
4295 @samp{stty -a} (or @samp{stty everything}) should show @samp{cs8} somewhere. | |
4296 If it shows @samp{cs7} instead, use @samp{stty cs8 -istrip} (or @samp{stty | |
4297 pass8}) to fix it. | |
4298 | |
4299 @item | |
4300 If there is an rlogin connection between the xterm and the Emacs, the | |
4301 "-8" argument may need to be given to rlogin to make it pass all 8 bits | |
4302 of every character. | |
4303 | |
4304 @item | |
4305 If the Emacs is running under Ultrix, it is reported that evaluating | |
4306 @code{(set-input-mode t nil)} helps. | |
4307 | |
4308 @item | |
4309 If all else fails, you can make xterm generate @kbd{@key{ESC} W} when | |
4310 you type @kbd{M-W}, which is the same conversion Emacs would make if it | |
4311 got the @kbd{M-W} anyway. In X11R4, the following resource | |
4312 specification will do this: | |
4313 | |
4314 @example | |
4315 XTerm.VT100.EightBitInput: false | |
4316 @end example | |
4317 | |
4318 (This changes the behavior of the @code{insert-eight-bit} action.) | |
4319 | |
4320 With older xterms, you can specify this behavior with a translation: | |
4321 | |
4322 @example | |
4323 XTerm.VT100.Translations: #override \ | |
4324 Meta<KeyPress>: string(0x1b) insert() | |
4325 @end example | |
4326 | |
4327 You might have to replace @samp{Meta} with @samp{Alt}. | |
4328 | |
4329 @end itemize | |
4330 | |
4331 @node ExtendChar key does not work as Meta, , Meta key does not work in xterm, Key bindings | |
4332 @section Why doesn't my @key{ExtendChar} key work as a @key{Meta} key under HP-UX 8.0 and 9.x? | |
4333 @cindex @key{ExtendChar} key as @key{Meta} | |
4334 @cindex @key{Meta}, using @key{ExtendChar} for | |
4335 | |
4336 This is a result of an internationalization extension in X11R4 and the | |
4337 fact that HP is now using this extension. Emacs assumes that | |
4338 XLookupString returns the same result regardless of the @key{Meta} key | |
4339 state which is no longer necessarily true. Until Emacs is fixed, the | |
4340 temporary kludge is to run this command after each time the X server is | |
4341 started but preferably before any xterm clients are: | |
4342 | |
4343 @example | |
4344 xmodmap -e 'remove mod1 = Mode_switch' | |
4345 @end example | |
4346 | |
4347 This will disable the use of the extra keysyms systemwide, which may be | |
4348 undesirable if you actually intend to use them. | |
4349 | |
4350 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
4351 @node Alternate character sets, Mail and news, Key bindings, Top | |
4352 @chapter Alternate character sets | |
4353 @cindex Alternate character sets | |
4354 | |
4355 @menu | |
4356 * Emacs does not display 8-bit characters:: | |
4357 * Inputting eight-bit characters:: | |
4358 * Kanji and Chinese characters:: | |
4359 * Right-to-left alphabets:: | |
4360 @end menu | |
4361 | |
4362 @node Emacs does not display 8-bit characters, Inputting eight-bit characters, Alternate character sets, Alternate character sets | |
4363 @section How do I make Emacs display 8-bit characters? | |
4364 @cindex Displaying eight-bit characters | |
4365 @cindex Eight-bit characters, displaying | |
4366 | |
28127 | 4367 See @inforef{Single-Byte European Support, Single-byte European |
4368 Character Support, emacs}. On a non-window-system display you typically | |
4369 need to use @code{set-terminal-coding-system} to tell Emacs what the | |
4370 terminal can display, even after setting the language environment. | |
4371 Otherwise non-ASCII characters will display as @samp{?}. | |
25474 | 4372 |
4373 @node Inputting eight-bit characters, Kanji and Chinese characters, Emacs does not display 8-bit characters, Alternate character sets | |
4374 @section How do I input eight-bit characters? | |
4375 @cindex Entering eight-bit characters | |
4376 @cindex Eight-bit characters, entering | |
4377 | |
28127 | 4378 Various methods are available for input of eight-bit characters. See |
4379 @inforef{Single-Byte European Support, Single-byte European Character | |
4380 Support, emacs}. For more sophisticated methods, see @inforef{Input | |
4381 Methods, Input Methods, emacs}. | |
25474 | 4382 |
4383 @node Kanji and Chinese characters, Right-to-left alphabets, Inputting eight-bit characters, Alternate character sets | |
4384 @section Where can I get an Emacs that handles kanji, Chinese, or other character sets? | |
4385 @cindex Kanji, handling with Emacs | |
4386 @cindex Chinese, handling with Emacs | |
4387 @cindex Japanese, handling with Emacs | |
4388 @cindex Korean, handling with Emacs | |
4389 | |
4390 Emacs 20 now includes many of the features of MULE, the Multilingual | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
4391 Enhancement of Emacs. @xref{Installing Emacs}, for information on where |
25474 | 4392 to find and download Emacs. |
4393 | |
4394 @node Right-to-left alphabets, , Kanji and Chinese characters, Alternate character sets | |
4395 @section Where is an Emacs that can handle Semitic (right-to-left) alphabets? | |
4396 @cindex Right-to-left alphabets | |
4397 @cindex Hebrew, handling with Emacs | |
4398 @cindex Semitic alphabets | |
4399 | |
4400 Emacs 20 supports Hebrew characters (ISO 8859-8), but does not yet | |
4401 support right-to-left character entry. | |
4402 | |
4403 @email{joel@@exc.com, Joel M. Hoffman} has written a Lisp package called | |
4404 @file{hebrew.el} that allows right-to-left editing of Hebrew. It | |
4405 reportedly works out of the box with Emacs 19, but requires patches for | |
4406 Emacs 18. Write to Joel if you want the patches or package. | |
4407 | |
4408 @file{hebrew.el} requires a Hebrew screen font, but no other Hardware support. | |
4409 Joel has a screen font for PCs running MS-DOS and Linux. | |
4410 | |
4411 You might also try to query archie for files named with "hebrew"; | |
4412 several ftp sites in Israel may also have the necessary files. | |
4413 | |
4414 @c ------------------------------------------------------------ | |
4415 @node Mail and news, Concept index, Alternate character sets, Top | |
4416 @chapter Mail and news | |
4417 @cindex Mail and news | |
4418 | |
4419 @menu | |
4420 * Changing the included text prefix:: | |
4421 * Saving a copy of outgoing mail:: | |
4422 * Expanding aliases when sending mail:: | |
4423 * Rmail thinks all messages are one big one:: | |
4424 * Sorting the messages in an Rmail folder:: | |
4425 * Rmail writes to /usr/spool/mail:: | |
4426 * Recovering mail files when Rmail munges them:: | |
4427 * Replying to the sender of a message:: | |
4428 * MIME with Emacs mail packages:: | |
4429 * Automatically starting a mail or news reader:: | |
4430 * Reading news with Emacs:: | |
4431 * Gnus does not work with NNTP:: | |
4432 * Viewing articles with embedded underlining:: | |
4433 * Saving a multi-part Gnus posting:: | |
4434 * Starting Gnus faster:: | |
4435 * Catching up in all newsgroups:: | |
4436 * Killing based on nonstandard headers:: | |
4437 * Removing flashing messages:: | |
4438 * Catch-up is slow in Gnus:: | |
4439 * Gnus hangs for a long time:: | |
4440 * Learning more about Gnus:: | |
4441 @end menu | |
4442 | |
4443 @node Changing the included text prefix, Saving a copy of outgoing mail, Mail and news, Mail and news | |
4444 @section How do I change the included text prefix in mail/news followups? | |
4445 @cindex Prefix in mail/news followups, changing | |
4446 @cindex Included text prefix, changing | |
4447 @cindex Setting the included text character | |
4448 | |
4449 If you read mail with Rmail or news with Gnus, set the variable | |
4450 @code{mail-yank-prefix}. For VM, set @code{vm-included-text-prefix}. | |
4451 For mh-e, set @code{mh-ins-buf-prefix}. | |
4452 | |
4453 For fancier control of citations, use Supercite. @xref{Supercite}. | |
4454 | |
4455 To prevent Emacs from including various headers of the replied-to | |
4456 message, set the value of @code{mail-yank-ignored-headers} to an | |
4457 appropriate regexp. | |
4458 | |
4459 @node Saving a copy of outgoing mail, Expanding aliases when sending mail, Changing the included text prefix, Mail and news | |
4460 @section How do I save a copy of outgoing mail? | |
4461 @cindex Saving a copy of outgoing mail | |
4462 @cindex Copying outgoing mail to a file | |
4463 @cindex Filing outgoing mail | |
4464 @cindex Automatic filing of outgoing mail | |
4465 @cindex Mail, saving outgoing automatically | |
4466 | |
4467 You can either mail yourself a copy by including a @samp{BCC} header in the | |
4468 mail message, or store a copy of the message directly to a file by | |
4469 including an @samp{FCC} header. | |
4470 | |
4471 If you use standard mail, you can automatically create a @samp{BCC} to | |
4472 yourself by putting | |
4473 | |
4474 @lisp | |
4475 (setq mail-self-blind t) | |
4476 @end lisp | |
4477 | |
4478 in your @file{.emacs} file. You can automatically include an "FCC:" field by | |
4479 putting something like the following in your @file{.emacs} file: | |
4480 | |
4481 @lisp | |
4482 (setq mail-archive-file-name (expand-file-name "~/outgoing")) | |
4483 @end lisp | |
4484 | |
4485 The output file will be in Unix mail format, which can be read directly | |
4486 by VM, but not always by Rmail. @xref{Learning how to do something}. | |
4487 | |
4488 If you use @code{mh-e}, add an @samp{FCC} or @samp{BCC} field to your | |
4489 components file. | |
4490 | |
4491 It does not work to put "set record filename" in the @file{.mailrc} | |
4492 file. | |
4493 | |
4494 @node Expanding aliases when sending mail, Rmail thinks all messages are one big one, Saving a copy of outgoing mail, Mail and news | |
4495 @section Why doesn't Emacs expand my aliases when sending mail? | |
4496 @cindex Expanding aliases when sending mail | |
4497 @cindex Mail alias expansion | |
4498 @cindex Sending mail with aliases | |
4499 | |
4500 @itemize @bullet | |
4501 | |
4502 @item | |
4503 You must separate multiple addresses in the headers of the mail buffer | |
4504 with commas. This is because Emacs supports RFC822 standard addresses | |
4505 like this one: | |
4506 | |
4507 @example | |
4508 To: Willy Smith <wks@@xpnsv.lwyrs.com> | |
4509 @end example | |
4510 | |
4511 However, you do not need to --- and probably should not, unless your | |
4512 system's version of @file{/usr/ucb/mail} (aka mailx) supports RFC822 | |
4513 -- separate addresses with commas in your @file{~/.mailrc} file. | |
4514 | |
4515 @item | |
4516 Emacs normally only reads the @file{.mailrc} file once per session, | |
4517 when you start to compose your first mail message. If you edit | |
4518 .mailrc, you can type @kbd{M-x rebuild-mail-abbrevs @key{RET}} to | |
4519 make Emacs reread @file{~/.mailrc}. | |
4520 | |
4521 @item | |
4522 If you like, you can expand mail aliases as abbrevs, as soon as you | |
4523 type them in. To enable this feature, execute the following: | |
4524 | |
4525 @lisp | |
4526 (add-hook 'mail-setup-hook 'mail-abbrevs-setup) | |
4527 @end lisp | |
4528 | |
4529 Note that the aliases are expanded automatically only after you type | |
4530 @key{RET} or a punctuation character (e.g. @kbd{,}). You can force their | |
4531 expansion by moving point to the end of the alias and typing @kbd{C-x a e} | |
4532 @kbd{M-x expand-abbrev}. | |
4533 @end itemize | |
4534 | |
4535 @node Rmail thinks all messages are one big one, Sorting the messages in an Rmail folder, Expanding aliases when sending mail, Mail and news | |
4536 @section Why does Rmail think all my saved messages are one big message? | |
4537 @cindex Rmail thinks all messages are one large message | |
4538 | |
4539 A file created through the @samp{FCC} field in a message is in Unix mail | |
4540 format, not the format that Rmail uses (BABYL format). Rmail will try | |
4541 to convert a Unix mail file into BABYL format on input, but sometimes it | |
4542 makes errors. For guaranteed safety, you can make the | |
4543 @file{saved-messages} file be an inbox for your Rmail file by using the | |
4544 function @code{set-rmail-inbox-list}. | |
4545 | |
4546 @node Sorting the messages in an Rmail folder, Rmail writes to /usr/spool/mail, Rmail thinks all messages are one big one, Mail and news | |
4547 @section How can I sort the messages in my Rmail folder? | |
4548 @cindex Rmail, sorting messages in | |
4549 @cindex Folder, sorting messages in an Rmail | |
4550 @cindex Sorting messages in an Rmail folder | |
4551 | |
4552 In Rmail, type @kbd{C-c C-s C-h} to get a list of sorting functions | |
4553 and their key bindings. | |
4554 | |
4555 @node Rmail writes to /usr/spool/mail, Recovering mail files when Rmail munges them, Sorting the messages in an Rmail folder, Mail and news | |
4556 @section Why does Rmail need to write to @file{/usr/spool/mail}? | |
4557 @cindex Rmail and @file{/usr/spool/mail} | |
4558 @cindex @file{/usr/spool/mail} and Rmail | |
4559 | |
4560 This is the behavior of the @file{movemail} program which Rmail uses. | |
4561 This indicates that @file{movemail} is configured to use lock files. | |
4562 | |
4563 RMS writes: | |
4564 | |
4565 @quotation | |
4566 Certain systems require lock files to interlock access to mail files. | |
4567 On these systems, @file{movemail} must write lock files, or you risk losing | |
4568 mail. You simply must arrange to let @file{movemail} write them. | |
4569 | |
4570 Other systems use the flock system call to interlock access. On these | |
4571 systems, you should configure @file{movemail} to use @code{flock}. | |
4572 @end quotation | |
4573 | |
4574 @node Recovering mail files when Rmail munges them, Replying to the sender of a message, Rmail writes to /usr/spool/mail, Mail and news | |
4575 @section How do I recover my mail files after Rmail munges their format? | |
4576 @cindex Recovering munged mail files | |
4577 @cindex Rmail munged my files | |
4578 @cindex Mail files, recovering those munged by Rmail | |
4579 | |
4580 If you have just done @code{rmail-input} on a file and you don't want to | |
4581 save it in Rmail's format (called BABYL), just kill the buffer (with | |
4582 @kbd{C-x k}). | |
4583 | |
4584 If you typed @kbd{M-x rmail} and it read some messages out of your inbox | |
4585 and you want to put them in a Unix mail file, use @kbd{C-o} on each | |
4586 message. | |
4587 | |
4588 If you want to convert an existing file from BABYL format to Unix mail | |
4589 format, use the command @kbd{M-x unrmail}: it will prompt you for the | |
4590 input and output file names. | |
4591 | |
4592 @node Replying to the sender of a message, MIME with Emacs mail packages, Recovering mail files when Rmail munges them, Mail and news | |
4593 @section How can I force Rmail to reply to the sender of a message, but not the other recipients? | |
4594 @cindex Replying only to the sender of a message | |
4595 @cindex Sender, replying only to | |
4596 @cindex Rmail, replying to the sender of a message in | |
4597 | |
4598 @email{isaacson@@seas.upenn.edu, Ron Isaacson} says: When you hit | |
4599 @key{r} to reply in Rmail, by default it CCs all of the original | |
4600 recipients (everyone on the original @samp{To} and @samp{CC} | |
4601 lists). With a prefix argument (i.e., typing @kbd{C-u} before @key{r}), | |
4602 it replies only to the sender. However, going through the whole | |
4603 @kbd{C-u} business every time you want to reply is a pain. This is the | |
4604 best fix I've been able to come up with: | |
4605 | |
4606 @lisp | |
4607 (defun rmail-reply-t () | |
4608 "Reply only to the sender of the current message. (See rmail-reply.)" | |
4609 (interactive) | |
4610 (rmail-reply t)) | |
4611 | |
4612 (add-hook 'rmail-mode-hook | |
4613 '(lambda () | |
4614 (define-key rmail-mode-map "r" 'rmail-reply-t) | |
4615 (define-key rmail-mode-map "R" 'rmail-reply))) | |
4616 @end lisp | |
4617 | |
4618 @node MIME with Emacs mail packages, Automatically starting a mail or news reader, Replying to the sender of a message, Mail and news | |
4619 @section How can I get my favorite Emacs mail package to support MIME? | |
4620 @cindex MIME and Emacs mail packages | |
4621 @cindex Mail packages and MIME | |
4622 @cindex FAQ for MIME and Emacs | |
4623 | |
4624 Read the Emacs MIME FAQ, maintained by @email{trey@@cs.berkeley.edu, | |
4625 MacDonald Hall Jackson} at | |
4626 | |
4627 @uref{http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/~trey/emacs/mime.html} | |
4628 | |
4629 Version 6.x of VM supports MIME. @xref{VM}. | |
4630 | |
4631 @node Automatically starting a mail or news reader, Reading news with Emacs, MIME with Emacs mail packages, Mail and news | |
4632 @section How do I make Emacs automatically start my mail/news reader? | |
4633 @cindex Mail reader, starting automatically | |
4634 @cindex News reader, starting automatically | |
4635 @cindex Starting mail/news reader automatically | |
4636 | |
4637 To start Emacs in Gnus: | |
4638 | |
4639 @example | |
4640 emacs -f gnus | |
4641 @end example | |
4642 | |
4643 in Rmail: | |
4644 | |
4645 @example | |
4646 emacs -f rmail | |
4647 @end example | |
4648 | |
4649 A more convenient way to start with Gnus: | |
4650 | |
4651 @example | |
4652 alias gnus 'emacs -f gnus' | |
4653 gnus | |
4654 @end example | |
4655 | |
4656 It is probably unwise to automatically start your mail or news reader | |
4657 from your @file{.emacs} file. This would cause problems if you needed to run | |
4658 two copies of Emacs at one time. Also, this would make it difficult for | |
4659 you to start Emacs quickly when you needed to. | |
4660 | |
4661 @node Reading news with Emacs, Gnus does not work with NNTP, Automatically starting a mail or news reader, Mail and news | |
4662 @section How do I read news under Emacs? | |
4663 @cindex Reading news under Emacs | |
4664 @cindex Usenet reader in Emacs | |
4665 @cindex Gnus newsreader | |
4666 | |
4667 Use @kbd{M-x gnus}. It is documented in Info (@pxref{Learning how to do something}). | |
4668 | |
4669 @node Gnus does not work with NNTP, Viewing articles with embedded underlining, Reading news with Emacs, Mail and news | |
4670 @section Why doesn't Gnus work via NNTP? | |
4671 @cindex Gnus and NNTP | |
4672 @cindex NNTP, Gnus fails to work with | |
4673 | |
4674 There is a bug in NNTP version 1.5.10, such that when multiple requests | |
4675 are sent to the NNTP server, the server only handles the first one | |
4676 before blocking waiting for more input which never comes. NNTP version | |
4677 1.5.11 claims to fix this. | |
4678 | |
4679 You can work around the bug inside Emacs like this: | |
4680 | |
4681 @lisp | |
4682 (setq nntp-maximum-request 1) | |
4683 @end lisp | |
4684 | |
4685 You can find out what version of NNTP your news server is running by | |
4686 telnetting to the NNTP port (usually 119) on the news server machine | |
4687 (i.e., "telnet server-machine 119"). The server should give its version | |
4688 number in the welcome message. Type "quit" to get out. | |
4689 | |
25476
b776520fb36d
General changes sent to Lerner, plus some XEmacs expurgation.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
25474
diff
changeset
|
4690 @xref{Spontaneous entry into isearch-mode}, for some additional ideas. |
25474 | 4691 |
4692 @node Viewing articles with embedded underlining, Saving a multi-part Gnus posting, Gnus does not work with NNTP, Mail and news | |
4693 @section How do I view news articles with embedded underlining (e.g., ClariNews)? | |
4694 @cindex Underlining, embedded in news articles | |
4695 @cindex News articles with embedded underlining | |
4696 @cindex Embedded underlining in news articles | |
4697 | |
4698 Underlining appears like this: | |
4699 | |
4700 @example | |
4701 _^Hu_^Hn_^Hd_^He_^Hr_^Hl_^Hi_^Hn_^Hi_^Hn_^Hg | |
4702 @end example | |
4703 | |
4704 @email{amanda@@iesd.auc.dk, Per Abrahamsen} suggests using the following | |
4705 code, which uses the underline face to turn such text into true | |
4706 underlining: | |
4707 | |
4708 @lisp | |
4709 (defun gnus-article-prepare-overstrike () | |
4710 ;; Prepare article for overstrike commands. | |
4711 (save-excursion | |
4712 (set-buffer gnus-article-buffer) | |
4713 (let ((buffer-read-only nil)) | |
4714 (goto-char (point-min)) | |
4715 (while (search-forward "\b" nil t) | |
4716 (let ((next (following-char)) | |
4717 (previous (char-after (- (point) 2)))) | |
4718 (cond ((eq next previous) | |
4719 (delete-region (- (point) 2) (point)) | |
4720 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) | |
4721 'face 'bold)) | |
4722 ((eq next ?_) | |
4723 (delete-region (1- (point)) (1+ (point))) | |
4724 (put-text-property (1- (point)) (point) | |
4725 'face 'underline)) | |
4726 ((eq previous ?_) | |
4727 (delete-region (- (point) 2) (point)) | |
4728 (put-text-property (point) (1+ (point)) | |
4729 'face 'underline)))))))) | |
4730 | |
4731 (add-hook 'gnus-article-prepare-hook 'gnus-article-prepare-overstrike) | |
4732 @end lisp | |
4733 | |
4734 If you prefer to do away with underlining altogether, you can | |
4735 destructively remove it with @kbd{M-x ununderline-region}; do this | |
4736 automatically via | |
4737 | |
4738 @lisp | |
4739 (add-hook 'gnus-article-prepare-hook | |
4740 '(lambda () (ununderline-region (point-min) (point-max)))) | |
4741 @end lisp | |
4742 | |
4743 @node Saving a multi-part Gnus posting, Starting Gnus faster, Viewing articles with embedded underlining, Mail and news | |
4744 @section How do I save all the items of a multi-part posting in Gnus? | |
4745 @cindex Multi-part postings in Gnus, saving | |
4746 @cindex Saving multi-part postings in Gnus | |
4747 @cindex Gnus, saving multi-part postings in | |
4748 | |
4749 Use @code{gnus-uu}. Type @kbd{C-c C-v C-h} in the Gnus summary buffer | |
4750 to see a list of available commands. | |
4751 | |
4752 @node Starting Gnus faster, Catching up in all newsgroups, Saving a multi-part Gnus posting, Mail and news | |
4753 @section How do I make Gnus start up faster? | |
4754 @cindex Faster, starting Gnus | |
4755 @cindex Starting Gnus faster | |
4756 @cindex Gnus, starting faster | |
4757 | |
4758 From the Gnus FAQ (@pxref{Learning more about Gnus}): | |
4759 | |
4760 @quotation | |
4761 @email{pktiwari@@eos.ncsu.edu, Pranav Kumar Tiwari} writes: I posted | |
4762 the same query recently and I got an answer to it. I am going to | |
4763 repeat the answer. What you need is a newer version of gnus, version | |
4764 5.0.4+. I am using 5.0.12 and it works fine with me with the | |
4765 following settings: | |
4766 | |
4767 @lisp | |
4768 (setq gnus-check-new-newsgroups nil | |
4769 gnus-read-active-file 'some | |
4770 gnus-nov-is-evil nil | |
4771 gnus-select-method '(nntp gnus-nntp-server)) | |
4772 @end lisp | |
4773 @end quotation | |
4774 | |
4775 @node Catching up in all newsgroups, Killing based on nonstandard headers, Starting Gnus faster, Mail and news | |
4776 @section How do I catch up all newsgroups in Gnus? | |
4777 @cindex Catching up all newsgroups in Gnus | |
4778 @cindex Gnus, Catching up all newsgroups in | |
4779 | |
4780 In the @file{*Newsgroup*} buffer, type @kbd{M-< C-x ( c y C-x ) M-0 C-x e} | |
4781 | |
4782 Leave off the initial @kbd{M-<} if you only want to catch up from point | |
4783 to the end of the @file{*Newsgroup*} buffer. | |
4784 | |
4785 @node Killing based on nonstandard headers, Removing flashing messages, Catching up in all newsgroups, Mail and news | |
4786 @section Why can't I kill in Gnus based on the Newsgroups/Keywords/Control headers? | |
4787 @cindex Killing articles based on nonstandard headers | |
4788 @cindex Newsgroups header, killing articles based on | |
4789 @cindex Keywords header, killing articles based on | |
4790 @cindex Control header, killing articles based on | |
4791 | |
4792 Gnus will complain that the @samp{Newsgroups}, @samp{Keywords}, and | |
4793 @samp{Control} headers are "Unknown header" fields. | |
4794 | |
4795 For the @samp{Newsgroups} header, there is an easy workaround: kill on the | |
4796 @samp{Xref} header instead, which will be present on any cross-posted article | |
4797 (as long as your site carries the cross-post group). | |
4798 | |
4799 If you really want to kill on one of these headers, you can do it like | |
4800 this: | |
4801 | |
4802 @lisp | |
4803 (gnus-kill nil "^Newsgroups: .*\\(bad\\.group\\|worse\\.group\\)") | |
4804 @end lisp | |
4805 | |
4806 @node Removing flashing messages, Catch-up is slow in Gnus, Killing based on nonstandard headers, Mail and news | |
4807 @section How do I get rid of flashing messages in Gnus for slow connections? | |
4808 @cindex Flashing Gnus messages, removing | |
4809 @cindex Removing flashing Gnus messages | |
4810 @cindex Slow connections causing flashing messages in Gnus | |
4811 @cindex Gnus, flashing messages in | |
4812 | |
4813 Set @code{nntp-debug-read} to @code{nil}. | |
4814 | |
4815 @node Catch-up is slow in Gnus, Gnus hangs for a long time, Removing flashing messages, Mail and news | |
4816 @section Why is catch up slow in Gnus? | |
4817 @cindex Slow catch up in Gnus | |
4818 @cindex Gnus is slow when catching up | |
4819 @cindex Crosspostings make Gnus catching up slow | |
4820 | |
4821 Because Gnus is marking crosspostings read. You can control this with | |
4822 the variable @code{gnus-use-cross-reference}. | |
4823 | |
4824 @node Gnus hangs for a long time, Learning more about Gnus, Catch-up is slow in Gnus, Mail and news | |
4825 @section Why does Gnus hang for a long time when posting? | |
4826 @cindex Hangs in Gnus | |
4827 @cindex Gnus hangs while posting | |
4828 @cindex Posting, Gnus hangs wile | |
4829 | |
4830 @email{tale@@uunet.uu.net, David Lawrence} explains: | |
4831 | |
4832 @quotation | |
4833 The problem is almost always interaction between NNTP and C News. NNTP | |
4834 POST asks C News's inews to not background itself but rather hang around | |
4835 and give its exit status so it knows whether the post was successful. | |
4836 (That wait will on some systems not return the exit status of the | |
4837 waited for job is a different sort of problem.) It ends up taking a | |
4838 long time because inews is calling relaynews, which often waits for | |
4839 another relaynews to free the lock on the news system so it can file the | |
4840 article. | |
4841 | |
4842 My preferred solution is to change inews to not call relaynews, but | |
4843 rather use newsspool. This loses some error-catching functionality, but | |
4844 is for the most part safe as inews will detect a lot of the errors on | |
4845 its own. The C News folks have sped up inews, too, so speed should look | |
4846 better to most folks as that update propagates around. | |
4847 @end quotation | |
4848 | |
4849 @node Learning more about Gnus, , Gnus hangs for a long time, Mail and news | |
4850 @section Where can I find out more about Gnus? | |
4851 @cindex FAQ for Gnus | |
4852 @cindex Gnus FAQ | |
4853 @cindex Learning more about GNU | |
4854 | |
4855 Look for the Gnus FAQ, available at | |
4856 | |
4857 @uref{http://www.ccs.neu.edu/software/contrib/gnus/} | |
4858 | |
4859 @node Concept index, , Mail and news, Top | |
4860 @unnumbered Concept Index | |
4861 @printindex cp | |
4862 | |
4863 @contents | |
4864 @bye |